EXCLUSIVE ‘Times are changing’: Paralympic swimmer Ellie Cole, who stars in Netflix’s Rising Phoenix, credits Games for changing way society sees people with a disability
Australian Paralympic swimmer Ellie Cole is one of nine athletes to be profiled in Netflix’s Paralympic Games documentary, Rising Phoenix.
And Ellie, 28, is hopeful the film will be an eye-opening experience for many viewers across the globe – it launched in 190 countries on August 26.
‘Having a disability and being an athlete doesn’t really go hand in hand in most people’s minds,’ Ellie told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
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EXCLUSIVE ‘Times are changing’: Paralympic swimmer Ellie Cole, who stars in Netflix’s Rising Phoenix, credits Games for changing way society sees people with a disability. Pictured in 2016 at Rio Paralympics
At the age of three, Ellie had her right leg amputated after a devastating cancer diagnosis. Eight weeks after the amputation, she took up swimming as part of her rehabilitation and fell in love with the sport.
She’s gone on to win 15 Paralympic swimming medals, including six golds, and holds the Paralympic Games Record for the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay.
‘This documentary is going to open people’s eyes, yes, s**t things have happened to us, but we’ve overcome it and become Paralympians and better athletes than anyone would have ever imagined,’ she said.
‘The Paralympics means so much to me; it’s changed my life completely; and it’s changing the way society sees people with a disability.’
‘The Paralympics means so much to me; it’s changed my life completely’: Ellie had her right leg amputated after a devastating cancer diagnosis when she was three. She took up swimming as part of her rehabilitation and fell in love with the sport. Pictured in 2015
‘It’s a powerful message to send to children with disabilities’: Ellie said she believes the documentary would help show how strong and powerful para-athletes are to viewers
‘People are going to finally start seeing us and how strong and powerful the athletes are. And what a powerful message to send to children with disabilities,’ she said.
Ellie said she didn’t have any Paralympic role models to look up to when she was younger, but finds it an incredible comfort to know that there are now hundreds of inspiring para-athletes for children to watch and follow.
‘It’s so cool how quickly times are changing,’ Ellie said, referring to how in 2016 more stadium tickets were sold for the Rio Paralympics than the actual Olympics Games.
‘I hope for the future, young children coming through parasports won’t face any barriers at all, like I did. Whether that’s educating sporting organisations, more funding, recognition and shaping the pathways towards elite sports,’ she said.
‘Having a disability and being an athlete doesn’t really go hand in hand in most people’s minds’: Ellie claims while times are definitely changing, there is still more to be done for people with disabilities and athletes in the parasports community
Head in the game: Ellie is hard at work training for the Tokyo Paralympics, which were postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured training in 2012
The groundbreaking film features Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and nine Paralympians: Bebe Vio (Italy), Ellie Cole (Australia), Jean-Baptiste Alaize (France), Matt Stutzman (USA), Jonnie Peacock (Great Britain), Cui Zhe (China), Ryley Batt (Australia), Ntando Mahlangu (South Africa) and Tatyana McFadden (USA).
Ellie is hard at work training for the Tokyo Paralympics, which were postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rising Phoenix is available to stream now on Netflix
Out now: Rising Phoenix is available to stream now on Netflix