Helen Spencer thought her swimming career was over when a knee condition made her dependent on a wheelchair and crutches. But that has not stopped her becoming British disabled champion five times over.

Helen was born in Sheffield in 1964 and grew up in Hunters Bar. She did not learn to swim until the age of 11, but in less than a year she began representing Sheffield Oak Street Swimming Club at a local, regional and national level. When the club became City of Sheffield Club, Helen captained them for a year. She became a national and regional swimming champion, winning 120 medals and trophies.

After leaving High Storrs Comprehensive, Helen trained as a police cadet and became a police officer in central Sheffield. But a bone defect, known as bilateral knee instability, became increasingly severe and by the age of 23, Helen's police and swimming careers were over due to ill health, or so everyone thought.

After 20 operations to prevent her knees repeatedly dislocating, Helen's disability has deteriorated, with problems developing in her hips, shoulders and fingers. Despite her disability, Helen took up swimming again in 1996 and started training with the Masters team at Sheffield's Ponds Forge International Sports Centre. She began entering Masters events and disabled championships.

Her remarkable comeback has seen Helen become regional champion, achieve a world ranking and win five gold medals at the British Short Course Championships for the disabled in Darlington, where she also set an unofficial world record in the 100m freestyle. In May 1997 Helen came second in four events at the British Long Course Championships in Sheffield.

In 1997 Helen was selected for the Great Britain Paralympic squad. In August, at the European Championships for the disabled in Madrid, Helen achieved three personal bests at 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle. She now has her sights set on the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and is training with the City of Sheffield squad.

Helen still lives in Totley, Sheffield with her husband and two daughters. She is also actively involved in promoting disability awareness to schoolchildren and students.

Photograph of Helen Spencer reproduced with the subject's kind permission.