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Annabel Kiki says she will not let losing her leg stop her from reaching her full potential [BBC]
A teenage amputee has set her sights on making her mark in the para-swimming scene after securing two gold medals.
Annabel Kiki, 17, from Cannock had to re-learn her favourite hobbies after being diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 13 and having her left leg amputated above the knee.
After joining her local swimming club and winning two medals at the Staffordshire County Swimming Championships, she is now gearing up for her first national para swimming competition.
"I like to grab every opportunity that is presented to me and I'm not going to let what happened to me stop me from reaching my full potential, " she said.
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The teen won two gold medals at the Staffordshire County Swimming Championships [BBC]
In 2024, she scooped the prestigious Golden Boot award, which recognises the top goal scorer, at the women's amputee football World Cup.
Learning to ski again is also among her list of recent achievements along with gracing the runway at London fashion week and being featured in the Italian Vogue magazine.
The athlete added: "Even when I'm taking my leg off in front of all the people in the crowd and all the teams, I'm trying to balance - I'm still trying to be the best person that I can possibly be.
"I've been through something horrific and even in the darkest of times you need to find positivity and find the good times.
"You know it's just what you need to do in order to push through what you're going through."
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Her brother Archie has said the athlete can whatever she puts her mind to [BBC]
Her cancer diagnosis followed what she thought was "just an aching knee" but led to 18 months of chemotherapy and the loss of her limb.
"It was such a terrible time to go through as a family and it was difficult to keep the morale high," her brother Archie recalled.
"The brilliant thing about Annabel is that no matter what she puts her mind to, I can guarantee that's what she'll be doing and she'll be brilliant at it."
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Kiki has the support of her former school Chase Terrace Academy [BBC]
She has been training for her next challenge in the pool at Chase Terrace Academy, her former school.
Headteacher Nicola Mason added: "We're just so proud of her, I can't tell you how proud we are."
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- Teen learned how to ski again after losing leg
- Amputee hopes to inspire with Golden Boot
- Amputee world cup a 'pinch-yourself moment'
- 'I'm 16, have one leg and play football for England'
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