Sitting in the specialty clinic
when this big word is tossed
in our laps I watched my son
tumble flip play football soccer
tumble play baseball yes we all
knew he was short but now after
injury this unexpected diagnosis
I'm completely stunned hopeful
but how many surgeries bone loss
bone death I still can't pronounce
the word Achondroplasia never in
my vocabulary a form of dwarfism
normal size person with the hereditary
gene can have short bones in the foot
arms or fingers bones that are weak
soft dying degenerative bone loss when
I gave birth I counted ten toes ten
fingers who would dream of testing
degenerative bone loss passed down
from the father's gene we pray knowing
there is no cure so we gather research
therapeutic braces shoes and surgeries
god keep my family safe staying in my faith
Ellie became instantly popular on Twitter,
For her Rio entrance to the 50m butterfly,
Which became known affectionately as,
The “gangster entrance”, her huge jacket.
Ellie was diagnosed in November of 2012,
Just after the London Paralympic Games,
When she was inspired by Ellie Simmonds,
To get into the pool and achieve ambitions -
She was diagnosed with Perthes hip disease,
Already she had achondroplasia, dwarfism,
But this meant she has physio every day,
A tough routine which perhaps you adjust to.
Her first international senior was 2015 Berlin -
She’s only fifteen, born on 30th August 2001 -
At the Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaften,
Where she set a WR, took 1 silver, 1 bronze.
On the run-up to Rio at the Euros in Portugal,
Ellie won a silver in the 50 metres butterfly S6,
Bronzes in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle,
So in Rio she won gold butterfly, bronze free.
Kyron comes from Wales as he was born in Newport,
And like his older cousin was born with achondroplasia,
He followed Gareth into the Paralympics with purport,
Because he’s a field athlete and also a loud powerlifter.
At the age of 12 in 2004 he became junior champion,
At powerlifting and represented Wales in Glasgow,
Then he took up field, the shot put and the javelin,
At the CP Grand Prix, in Nottingham city to throw.
He also competed into the Czech and Berlin Opens,
Where in Berlin he came fourth in discus and shot,
But he came first at javelin with a PB of 29.53m, mens,
And in 2011 took gold at the javelin in the Worlds hot.
At the senior Worlds also in 2011 he did happily record,
A throw of 32.64m, a bronze, and then got two PBs,
In Cardiff, at the Welsh Championships, he did board,
11.19m at the shot put and 37.39 at javelin to please.
In 2013 Kyron went to Lyon in France for the Worlds,
Where he took bronze in the class F41 shot, a long put,
And now in 2016 he’s in the Rio team with strong words,
On the field in the shot and javelin, some gems to shoot.
Born in Walsall but growing up in Aldridge,
Ellie was born with achondroplasia to bridge,
She ended up at Olchfa School in Swansea,
With a larger swimming pool, destiny to see.
She was born on the 11th of November 1994,
At an age of 5 she opened the swimming door,
Her coach for her young life was Ashley Cox,
Who made her into a phenomenon that rocks.
When just 13, she won two sparkling golds,
For the 100m and the 400m freestyle folds,
At Beijing in 2008 where the Paras occurred,
And so was picked for the 2012’s, referred.
In those vibrant Paralympics of London city,
Ellie did win the S6 category with great ability,
Because she got gold for the 400m yet again,
And also won the 200 Individual Medley pen.
She’s an OBE since 2013 in the Honours List,
Was the Young Sports Personality 2008, gist,
She also won a silver and a bronze in London,
And has two gold postboxes to proudly spawn.