OU alumna Cheryl Angelelli, CAS ’93, contributed to the United States Paralympic Swimming World Championship Team 56 medal-finish at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa last week.

By Rebecca Wyatt, OU Web Writer

Cheryl Angelelli, CAS ’93, contributed to the United States Paralympic Swimming World Championship Team 56 medal-finish at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa last week.

Angelelli won a gold medal in the women’s S4 100-meter freestyle event, a silver in the 50-meter freestyle and a gold in the 200-meter freestyle.

A competitive swimmer since she was 8, Angelelli suffered a spine injury that left her a quadriplegic while diving into a pool at the age of 14. She didn’t give up on her dreams of being a swimming champion. Fifteen years later, she returned to the pool and earned a spot on the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team and competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2006 Paralympic Summer Games.

Angelelli was also the subject of a documentary about Paralympians, titled “Untold Dreams.” The film debuted last spring and is currently on sale at Angelelli’s Web site.

After taking a break in 2005, Angelelli returned to the pool in 2006 to train for the world championships in South Africa, the only continent on which she had yet to swim. With her husband and coach Shawn Kornoelje, who is also an assistant coach for OU’s swimming and diving team, cheering her on, Angelelli began training again, often at OU’s Aquatics Center.

Twenty of the 25 athletes on the United States’ team received medals at the world championships.