Cole is a member of the Australian Paralympic Dolphin swimming team and received an Order of Australia medal in 2014 "for service to sport as a gold medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.” 

At the 2012 Paralympics, Cole participated in eight events and won six medals.

The 23 year old recently returned from a successful IPC Swimming World Championships campaign in Glasgow, where she not only won the 100 metre backstroke and freestyle events but broke both world records in the process. 

Cole was diagnosed with a sarcoma behind her knee at the age of two, and as a consequence her leg was amputated above the knee. As part of her rehab, Cole’s mum enrolled her in swimming lessons and the rest is history.

On August 1, she took time out of her busy schedule to come and train the current squad of 30 swimmers that make up the Ararat Rats Swimming Club.    

The session started with a question and answer session where Cole introduced herself and explained how she became a swimmer, which progressed to her being a Paralympian.  

The kids were all very shy to begin with but after an hour and half in the pool, they were full of questions, getting autographs and lots of selfies. 

Being a specialist in Butterfly but due to injury no longer competes in this event,  Cole was able to explain the finer points of technique to the squad. She also gave freestyle and back stroke advice to the children.