2025 Inductee Two-time Paralympic ChampionSix-time World and British Record Holder Stephen Clegg is a three-time Paralympian who has won 17 medals across World, Paralympic, European and Commonwealth Championships.A world-class Paralympic swimmer specialising in the 100m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke and 100m Freestyle disciplines within the S12 classification, Stephen has been supported by the University's Performance Swimming Programme since 2019. He has been a stand-out member of the programme, seeing success on the World and European stage. Stephen made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016, but it was the Tokyo 2020 Games where he truly made his mark. After qualifying with a world record performance in the S12 men’s 100m Butterfly at the 2021 British Para-Swimming International Meet, Clegg went on to win an Olympic silver medal in the event, and two bronze medals in the 100m Backstroke and 100m Freestyle.Stephen claimed his first Paralympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games, setting a new world record in the S12 100m Backstroke. He added to his medal tally days later with another gold medal in the S12 100m Butterfly. His performances on the global stage extend beyond the Paralympics, with gold medal success at the World Para Swimming Championships and multiple podium finishes at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games. His sustained excellence across multiple international competitions earned him an MBE in the 2025 New Year Honours list for services to swimming. Stephen has had a record-breaking career holding 3 British records and 3 World records. A fierce competitor and dedicated athlete, Stephen’s impact goes beyond the pool. He is an advocate for disability sport, inspiring future generations of para-athletes through both performance and resilience. This article was published on 2025-06-05
