Leesville held a welcome home ceremony for Hannah Aspden on Thursday, September 22. Aspden, a sophomore, returned from the Paralympic Games in Rio. She received two bronze medals, one in the 100m backstroke and one in the 100m medley relay.
The ceremony took place in front of the main entrance before school started. It included a performance by the symphonic band, a speech given by Dr. Muttillo, and a large turnout of students celebrating Aspden’s accomplishments.
“[The event] was just saying we’re proud of her and “welcome back to school” after an amazing journey,” said Ms. Moore, an assistant principle at Leesville.
Aspden, who was born without her left leg, has been swimming competitively since she was eight years old. While this was her first olympics, it’s not the first time Aspden has competed on and international level. In 2015 she won silver in the 4x100m free event at the world championships. She also holds several American records in a wide range of events.
When she’s not swimming for the national team, Aspden competes with a local YOTA team at the YMCA.
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