Lorraine Dodd

Lorraine Dodd

Personal information
Nationality	Australia
Born	6 September 1944 Subiaco, Western Australia
Died	26 November 2005
Medal record Swimming Paralympic Games 1968 Tel Aviv Women's 25 m Breaststroke Class 2 Complete 1968 Tel Aviv Women's 25 m Backstroke Class 2 Complete 1968 Tel Aviv Women's 25 m Freestyle Class 2 Complete Athletics Paralympic Games 1968 Tel Aviv Women's Slalom A 1968 Tel Aviv Women's Novices 60 m Wheelchair Dash A

Lorraine McCoulough-Fry nee Dodd (6 September 1944 – 26 November 2005) is a former Australian Paralympic swimmer, athlete and table tennis player.

Personal

She was born in Subiaco, Western Australia. She became paraplegic at the age of 13 after contracting transverse myelitis, which confined her to a wheelchair. After contracting the disease, she undertook rehabilitation which included archery and swimming at the Royal Perth Hospital Shenton Park Annexe. This was the start of her sporting career. After treatment at the hospital, she returned to school at Mount Lawley High School and then passed the Junior Examination at the University of Western Australia.

Career

She competed at the 1962 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Perth, Western Australia winning seven gold and two silver medals. For her performances at the Games, she was awarded the Ben Richter Award for the person to have made the best effort to rehabilitate themselves. She worked as an honorary assistant secretary to the Games Organising Committee. After the Games, she was employed as shorthand typist at the University Department of Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital.

She did not compete at the 1964 Toyko Games due to health problems. At the 1966 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Kingston, Jamaica, she won six gold medals in swimming (three), javelin, discus and club throw and two bronze medals in shot putt and slalom. At the 1968 Tel Aviv Games, she won three gold medals and broke world records in the Women's 25 m Backstroke class 2 complete, Women's 25 m Breaststroke class 2 complete, and Women's 25 m Freestyle class 2 complete events, a silver medal in the Women's Slalom A event, and a bronze medal in the Women's Novices 60 m Wheelchair Dash A event. She also competed in the Women's Singles B - event in table tennis. At the time of the 1968 Games, Dodd was a 24-year-old civil servant. Injury forced her to withdraw from the 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Awards

• 2006 - inducted into the Western Australian Hall of Champions.
• 2009 - inducted into the Swimming Western Australia Hall of Fame.