L.A. Swimmer Sets Record in Winning 100 Backstroke

Karen Norris of Los Angeles, who lost the lower part of her left leg to cancer when she was 11, set a world record in winning the gold medal in the S10 women’s 100-meter backstroke today at the Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Norris, 35, a three-time Paralympian, beat the rest of the field in a time of 1:14.61. She is captain of the U.S. women’s swim team.

The S10 category includes athletes with minimal physical disabilities. They may have a weakness affecting their legs, restriction on the movement of their hips and joints, some deformity in a foot or minor loss of a part of a limb.

Norris started swimming when she was 7. After developing cancer and undergoing an amputation and chemotherapy, she returned to the pool. She later quit swimming to take up skiing but resumed swimming in 1991 to train for triathlon. She made the 1992 U.S. Paralympic team shortly after learning the Games existed.

Norris retired after the 1996 Paralympics but joined the UCLA Masters swim team until she decided to return to competition.

“I am so thrilled,” she said. “I have been dreaming of this for so long. If it weren’t for the other swimmers beside me, I wouldn’t have been able to get this time. They really pushed me.”