Fran Williamson
Areas of Interest
SportsHonorary Award
Honorary Doctor of Health SciencesBiography
Fran Williamson, born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, is a multiple Paralympic medal winner and former swimming world record-holder. She won four medals at the Athens Paralympics, two medals at the Beijing Paralympics, plus a total of five gold medals at three separate world championships. She has held multiple British records and has broken the 100m backstroke short-course world record on numerous occasions.
In 2011 Fran retired from international competition and turned her sights to fresh goals. In 2009 she graduated from Anglia Ruskin University with a BA in Social Policy and then undertook an MA in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds, completing in 2012.
As an Athlete Mentor at Youth Sport Trust, a charity devoted to changing young people's lives through sport, Fran now spends much of her time visiting schools around the country, showing children that with desire and determination, they can achieve almost anything. Fran is also a supporter and Champion of the Whizz-Kids charity, a Champion for the charity VoiceAbility, a Trustee at the English Federation of Disability Sport, Patron of Follow Your Dreams and a Vice President of United Response.
Citation
"Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Fran Williamson for the award of Doctor of Health Science, honoris causa.
Fran Williamson is an Athlete Mentor at Youth Sport Trust, a multiple Paralympic medal winner, former swimming world record-holder, and celebrated Anglia Ruskin alumna.
Fran was born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, yet from childhood she has refused to treat her disability as a barrier, referring to her impairment merely as "something to be worked around" - and it is an attitude that has served her well. As a young child, Fran was hardly a swimming prodigy. Quite the opposite, in fact, as she was terrified of the water. It wasn't until she attended secondary school and made friends with a fellow student who shared her condition, that she was persuaded to dip her toe in. After a slow start, Fran developed rapidly, and the rest is history.
Once competing, she quickly progressed from regional to national level events and at the tender age of 15 Fran won two bronze medals at the 2001 European Swimming Championships in Stockholm, narrowly missing out on podium finishes in two other events. A year later at the World Championships in Argentina she won four medals, including gold in the 4 x 50 metres freestyle.
In a career that spanned ten years, Fran won four medals at the Athens Paralympics, two medals at the Beijing Paralympics, plus a total of five gold medals at three separate world championships. She has held multiple British records and has broken the 100m backstroke short-course world record on numerous occasions. In 2011, with a trophy cabinet bursting at the hinges, Fran retired from international competition and turned her sights on fresh goals.
It was during her swimming career that Fran first demonstrated her outstanding academic abilities, studying with us for a BA in Social Policy. Her undergraduate years spanned the Beijing Games, yet although she spent six hours a day training, she refused to postpone her studies, impressively graduating in 2009 with a First. In 2012 Fran completed her postgraduate degree, graduating from the University of Leeds with an MA in Disability Studies.
Although she no longer competes, sport remains a big part of Fran's day-to-day life. As an Athlete Mentor at Youth Sport Trust - a charity devoted to changing young people's lives through sport - Fran spends much of her time visiting schools around the country, showing children that with desire and determination, they can achieve almost anything. Fran is also part of the Sky Sports Living for Sport programme, where she works to inspire young people to help them to achieve their potential, not only in sport, but in life. Fran is also a supporter and Champion of the Whizz-Kids charity, a Champion for the charity VoiceAbility, a Trustee at the English Federation of Disability Sport, Patron of Follow Your Dreams and a Vice President of United Response.
With this award we proud to recognise the success of one of our alumni and Fran's refusal to allow her ambitions to be limited by her impairment. She is an inspirational figure, and we are delighted to welcome her to our Anglia Ruskin community.
Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to present Fran Williamson for the award of Doctor of Health Science, honoris causa."