Daniel Bell

Daniel Bell (born 31 August 1984) is an Australian swimmer from American Samoa who won five Paralympic medals between 2000 and 2008.

Early life

Bell was born in Pago Pago, American Samoa. He was adopted by Liz Bell, a volunteer in a Samoan hospital, at the age of six months. Doctors informed her that he had cerebral palsy and brain damage, and was blind. His adoptive mother brought him back to Ocean Grove, near Geelong, determined to get support for his disabilities. He attended Christian College, Geelong, where he took up swimming.

Career

Bell began his international career with a bronze medal at the 1999 FESPIC Games in Bangkok, Thailand. At the 2004 Athens Games, he won a gold medal in the men's 4 x 100 m medley relay 34 points and three silver medals in the men's 100 m butterfly S10, men's 100 m breaststroke SB9 and men's 4 x 100 m freestyle relay 34 points events. but resigned as a member of the Order and returned the medal on 8 July 2013. He competed in four events at the 2008 Beijing Games but did not win a medal.

From 2003 to 2008, he held an Australian Institute of Sport paralympic swimming scholarship. He is coached at Geelong City Aquatic Club by Lucky Weerakkody.

Bell now works as a commercial diver.