After taking home two gold medals and one silver medal from the Paris Paralympics 2024, Callum Simpson OAM is making 2025 another standout year.
A Year 12 student and Scholarship Recipient at Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast and part of the Flinders Elite Athlete Program, Callum has qualified for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore from 21-27 September.
As part of a 25-strong Dolphins team, including nine Paralympic gold medalists, Callum will race in the freestyle 50m, 100m and 400m races and has a possibility to be part of the relay team to represent Australia at the World Championships.
During the six-day Selection Trials Meet in Adelaide at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre from 9-14 June, Callum achieved Personal Bests and Qualifying times.
He was guided by Coach and Olympian Chris Wright who is co-owner of the Flinders Phoenix Swimming Academy, which is based at the Flinders Aquatic Centre on campus at Matthew Flinders Anglican College and is the largest competitive swim club in the Wide Bay region.
At the recent Sunshine Coast Sports 54th Annual Awards, the Flinders Phoenix Swimming was a finalist for 'Team of the Year' and Chris Wright for 'Coach of the Year'.
At the same Awards, Callum was named Sports Star of the Year 2024 and Athlete of the Year – Disability 2024.
In May, Callum was also named as a Commonwealth Games Australia Emerging Athlete of the Year. Selected from a competitive field of 11 individual athletes and spanning nine sports, Callum was joined by Gout Gout (Athletics, who was named the winner) and Nicole Duncan (Cycling) as a 2024 finalist for this prestigious honour.
Earlier this year, Callum was one of 320 people across Australia named on the 2025 Australia Day Honours list and announced by the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC on Sunday, 26 January.
Callum was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his “service to sport as a gold medallist at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024”.
Callum achieved three medals at the Paris Olympics 2024:
• Gold Medallist, Men's 100m Freestyle S8 Para Swimming
• Gold Medallist, Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay, Para Swimming
• Silver Medallist, Mixed 4x100 Freestyle Relay, Para Swimming
In receiving the OAM, Callum said, “I’m incredibly honoured and grateful to receive this OAM.
“This isn’t just a recognition of my results and efforts, but of everyone who has supported me and been in my corner—my coaches, support team, family and friends who have always backed me and believed in me, even at times when I didn't.
“I really want to show other people that, no matter what, you can always keep pushing and chasing your dreams despite the challenges and barriers you may be given in life.
“Anything is possible, even if you are born with a disability.”
Flinders Community Celebrates with Callum
Flinders Principal Michelle Carroll said the whole College community supports Callum and is inspired by his journey.
“Callum has been a part of our Flinders community since his kindy days at the Flinders Early Learning Centre and his schooling journey began at Flinders in Prep,” Ms Carroll said.
“Throughout this time, Callum has demonstrated to his fellow peers the power of being committed to a goal and working diligently to achieve it,” she said.
“We know Year 12 is demanding, and Flinders is fully committed to supporting Callum—to strive for both academic and athletic excellence.
“He has spent countless hours training in the Flinders Aquatic Centre pool, under the mentorship of his swimming coach, Chris Wright.
“We are thrilled to support Callum, both as a student and an elite athlete through our Flinders Elite Athlete Program (FEAP), so that he can make the most of his academic and sporting life."
Callum was diagnosed at birth with microdeletion syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that delays learning and causes physical impairments, along with cerebral palsy and dyspraxia and neurological disorders. At age two, to strengthen his body and boost his coordination and cognitive skills, his parents increased his swimming as therapy, which soon grew to a passion.
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