Paralympic gold medal swimmer Tully Kearney hopes MBE will inspire others

Paralympic gold medal swimmer Tully Kearney has said she hopes being awarded an MBE will help show people with progressive conditions that “they can still achieve”.

Kearney, who won gold in the Tokyo Paralympics women’s 100 metre freestyle S5, said being awarded an MBE at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon was a “surreal experience”.

The 25-year-old swimmer was born with cerebral palsy and developed generalised dystonia, a progressive neurological movement disorder, in her mid-teens – a significant progression in this condition, coupled with an injury, forced her to withdraw from the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

She told the PA news agency: “As someone with a progressive condition, after withdrawing from Rio I didn’t know if I’d be able to make it to the Paralympic Games – so to make it and then win gold and be awarded an MBE is just an incredible experience.

“And I think for me, it shows other people with progressive conditions and people that are struggling with life that they can still achieve.”

Kearney said she had a conversation with the Princess Royal, who carried out the investiture, about her experiences at the Tokyo Games and the different swimming events she participated in.

The Nottingham-born swimmer added that she was determined to go to the 2024 Paris Paralympics to “retain my title and never be beaten again”.

Kearney – who is a multiple British, European and world record holder – said being an athlete with a progressive condition had made her aware that “a lot of people with severe disabilities don’t realise swimming is a sport for everyone because generally on television, you see the higher-classification, less-disabled athletes”.

“So for me, it’s really important to show little kids out there that if they want to be a swimmer, they can,” she added.