‘Her mind was clouded’: Alexa Leary’s ‘proud’ father shares the inspiring story of her incredible recovery

Three years back, Alexa Leary set foot on the pool deck in Adelaide, with little idea of what her future in swimming might hold.

After overcoming a horrific bike accident to clinch gold at last year’s Paralympics in Paris, Leary’s journey has resonated with many across Australia.

The 23-year-old’s incredible story unfolded further at the national swimming trials in Adelaide on Tuesday night, where she triumphed in the women’s 50-metre freestyle multi-class final, finishing a mere 0.01 seconds shy of her own world record.

Next on her agenda is the World Para-Swimming Championships, scheduled to take place in Singapore this September.

During last year’s Paralympic trials in Brisbane, Leary’s father Russ was overcome with emotion during a heartfelt interview on Nine, filled with joy at his daughter’s qualification for the Paris Games.

At this year’s Adelaide trials on Tuesday night, he again fought back tears in an interview with Nine, sharing insights into his daughter’s extraordinary recovery journey.

“Keep me from crying again,” Russ said to Cate Campbell in the audience.

Reflecting on the accident, he continued, with comfort from his wife Belinda, “The trauma… it’s now a bittersweet happiness. We just keep moving forward.”

Tune in to watch the 2025 Australian swimming trials live and free on Nine and 9Now, from June 9-14.

“Three years ago, we came to this meet without a coach; I brought her along. We were unaware of the transition she needed to make,” he explained.

“It was when former Olympic swimmers Meagen Nay and Brittany Elmslie were commentating that they sprang into action, asking, ‘What are you doing?’ I replied, ‘I don’t know.’ We needed to walk her back in.”

“Back then, she didn’t have any hair, and her cognitive state was quite foggy. We resorted to writing on her hand what laps she needed to complete; she’d check before diving in.”

“She has come such a long way. Alexa, we are incredibly proud of you.”

Leary reflected on her strong mental game in a post-race conversation with reporters following her 50m freestyle victory.

“It’s been a significant mental journey. Every day, I feel myself getting stronger and stronger,” said the Sunshine Coast native.

“I am genuinely amazed by how far I’ve progressed.

“It’s been quite a journey for me, and I’m continually getting better.”

She clocked 23.24 seconds in the one-lap race, coming alarmingly close to the world record she set in Sydney last month.

“I was highly focused tonight on the skills and drills my coach has been working on with me. I hope I achieved what he aimed for,” she stated.

“To be honest, I’m not fixated on breaking a world record right now… My main focus is for Singapore.”

Leary recalls vividly her struggles during the Adelaide meet that her father mentioned.

“I wanted to take up swimming as a form of rehab, aiming to regain function on my right side,” Leary remembered.

“I vividly recall diving in for my warm-up without any goggles. It completely slipped my mind… I was experiencing memory loss at that point.”

“Reflecting on that day, I can hardly believe how far I’ve come. It’s truly astonishing.”