The first time she raced against other S3 swimmers was at the 2019 World Championships in London, where, cheered on by friends and family, she announced herself on the international scene with a brilliant bronze in the 50m backstroke.
The event also saw her become a team-mate of her swimming hero Ellie Simmonds, whose 2012 Paralympic golds were another huge source of inspiration.
After a disrupted 2020 with the pandemic and the postponement of the Paralympics, Challis says that the extra 12 months preparation have helped her.
She’s based at the British Para-Swimming National Performance Centre in Manchester, she started her season with new British records in the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle at the recent Manchester International Swim Meet, her first competition in almost a year.
She now needs to impress at next month’s British Para Swimming International in Sheffield, which doubles as the Paralympic trials.
“Initially, I was looking at going to Tokyo with no pressure and just to have the experience of being at a Games, because it is so different from any other competition, and then look towards Paris in 2024 when I’ll have learned more and I know what I want to do.
“But I’ve been able to get faster in lockdown, so it will be good to see where I am at trials. I think the Paralympics will be very different for everyone this time because nobody knows what anyone else is doing.”
Challis’ emergence onto the international scene has given particular pleasure to British Paralympian Fran Williamson, whose S3 domestic records she is now rewriting.
“My records have stood for a long time and for a while I thought they may never be broken,” says Williamson, who was born with cerebral palsy and won silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Games.
“I think many people assumed that was exactly what I wanted. But that’s not true.
“Ellie and I are very different athletes with different impairments, but it is great to see someone digging deep and finally taking my place in the GB line-up and be willing to put the hard work into achieving her goals.”
