‘It’s a miracle that I’m living’: Leary breaks world record, dances on medal dais
By Tom Decent
Paris: Alexa Leary, the vivacious young Queenslander who nearly died in a horror bike accident and was told she’d never walk or talk again, has become an individual Paralympic gold medallist on an emotional night that started with another world record and ended with the unbridled joy of dancing on the medal dais.
“It’s been a long, rough journey for me, but it’s a miracle that I’m living and I’m walking and I’m talking,” Leary said after storming to victory in the women’s 100m freestyle (S9) in a world record time of 59.53 seconds.
“I’m just amazed that I did it. I really just wanted to break the world record and I did. Tonight was my show. It was a great one. I was so nervous. I was honestly frightened to go out there. I had to just pull something in me and go, ‘Come on Lex, let’s get it’.
“I’ve just come so far in life. Being told three years ago I wouldn’t live … but I am. I proved the world wrong.”
It is the story that has gripped the nation. Relay gold two days ago for Leary as an unbelievable anchor leg swimmer was special, but to do it in an individual race was the fairytale everyone in the Australian Paralympic team was cheering for.
To understand the significance of what Leary achieved on Wednesday evening in front of a near-capacity crowd at the La Defense Arena, take this quote from her father Russ on the day she made her first Australian swimming team last year.
“You live for six months in a hospital never knowing if she’s going to walk or talk and now she makes the Australian team? We just never gave up,” Russ told this masthead when asked about the cycling accident in July 2021 during triathlon training.
“She’s tenacious. She has that animal in her. It’s been f---ing tough and a long journey. For our family, this is a whole new journey that starts now. We needed it.”
Whenever Russ speaks about Alexa, he is reduced to tears, sometimes within a few words. He will never forget how hard it was.
On the day of her accident, Russ was planning to go to the pub in the afternoon for a few beers and bets. Russ, riding just behind the main group, pulled up to a woman lying on the road with horrific injuries who he did not recognise at first.
It was Alexa.
Alexa Leary after winning her gold medal in the 100m freestyle.Credit: Paralympics Australia
Russ, wearing a green and gold wig on Wednesday evening, still finds it hard to convey the emotions of sitting in the stands and watching his daughter win a gold medal after being told she would have a poor quality of life for as long as she lived.
It is hard to fathom the joy that Russ and Belinda Leary would have felt as their daughter glided through the water with a lovely stroke that doctors told them would never be physically possible.
“We’re gonna let go tonight, don’t worry about that,” Russ said with a grin on Channel Nine, before Belinda added: “Anything is possible.”
Gold medallist Alexa Leary, left, and American silver medallist Christie Raleigh Crossley. Credit: AP
When Leary was in intensive care – she spent 111 days in hospital after her accident where she came off her bike at 70km/h – Russ paid a fortune-teller to try and give the family some solace.
The fortune-teller said Leary would survive and that she would want to become a Paralympian.
When Leary woke from her coma, she said just that, adamant her future was in the pool.
“My mum and dad are the reason why I’m here,” Leary said. “My dad stopped working and my mum stopped as well. They were in that hospital with me for six months. Dad was constantly at his knees in that hospital every single day next to my bed. So it’s a big reason why I’m here.
Former junior triathlete and para-swimmer Alexa (Lex) Leary (centre) with her parents Russell and Belinda.Credit: Dan Peled
“Dad will be having lots of tissues in his eyes tonight, wiping his little tears. He doesn’t stop crying. He makes me cry because I love the fact that he just cries. I love it.”
In Leary’s interview with Channel Nine’s poolside host, Annabelle Williams, she was shown a special video from her idol, Australian DJ “FISHER”.
Throughout Leary’s recovery, she listened to music and wanted to be a DJ, with FISHER being her favourite artist. She says she listens to him non-stop.
The 23-year-old was stunned when shown a video of FISHER (Paul Fisher) congratulating her on her achievements.
“Alexa you absolute legend,” Fisher said. “First up I want to say congrats on breaking that world record. We love ya. You’re such an inspiration.”
The look on her face and huge grin said it all.
“Oh my goodness, that’s made my day, that’s made my race,” Leary said. “Surely, I’m down on stage with ya. I’ll be ya side dancer.
“I’ve always got my headphones in. FISHER upbeats me every single day. I don’t know what it is about his music. [I want to] just go smash it in the water. I love it. I don’t ever stop listening to FISHER.
“He invited me to one of his concerts today and I was like done deal.”
With a new gold medal around her neck, Leary sang the Australian national anthem and then began to break out with some freestyle dancing when music blared around the venue, much to the delight of the crowd.
She was in her own happy world, playfully looking down the barrel of the camera and celebrating her finest achievement in a moment that so many of her friends, family and new admirers hoped they would see at these Games.
“It makes me want to go even harder at the next Paralympics to see what else I’ve got,” Leary said.
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