Tanja Scholz (born 29 June 1984) is a German

Paralympic swimmer Para swimming is an adaptation of the sport of swimming for athletes with disabilities. Para swimmers compete at the Summer Paralympic Games and at other sports competitions throughout the world. The sport is governed by the International Para ...

, who won three gold medals at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships.

Personal life

Scholz is from

Elmshorn Elmshorn (; nds, Elmshoorn) is a town in the district of Pinneberg in Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. It is 30 km north of Hamburg on the small river Krückau, a tributary of the Elbe, and with about 50,000 inhabitants is the sixth-largest t ...

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sch ...

, Germany. She has three children. Scholz was diagnosed with

paraplegia Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek () "half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neural ...

after a horse riding accident in June 2020, and has been wheelchair bound since. At the time, she was told that she would not be able to swim due to the extent of her injuries.

Career

Scholz started competing in competitive

para swimming Para swimming is an adaptation of the sport of swimming for athletes with disabilities. Para swimmers compete at the Summer Paralympic Games and at other sports competitions throughout the world. The sport is governed by the International Para ...

in January 2021; prior to her accident, she had been a competitive able bodied swimmer. She trains at , and is coached by

Kirsten Bruhn Kirsten Bruhn (born 3 November 1969 in Eutin) is a former German female Paralympic swimmer. She learnt to swim when she was three. She began competing at ten before an accident in 1991. She was hurt during a holiday motorcycle trip on the island ...

. Scholz was the top athlete at the six event 2022 Para Swimming World Series. At the World Series event in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, Scotland, she set the world record in the 100 metres freestyle S4 competition. Scholz won five medals at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. She won gold medals in the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle S4 events and won bronze medals in the 50 metre backstroke S4 and 150 metre medley SM3 competitions. She competed in the 150 metres medley event 26 minutes after her 100 metres freestyle victory. At the

2023 World Para Swimming Championships The 2023 World Para Swimming Championships was the 12th edition of the World Para Swimming Championships, an international swimming competition for swimmers with disabilities. It was held in Manchester, Great Britain from 31 July to 6 August 202 ...

, Scholz won the 100 metre freestyle S4 and 150 metre individual medley SM3 competitions. She also finished second in the final of the 5 metre breaststroke SB2 event.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scholz, Tanja 1984 births Living people German female freestyle swimmers German female backstroke swimmers People from Elmshorn Sportspeople from Schleswig-Holstein Medalists at the World Para Swimming Championships S4-classified para swimmers 21st-century German women