Áine Kelly-Costello
 Kelly-Costello in 2011 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Áine Maeve Kelly-Costello |
| Born | 30 March 1995[1] |
| Sport | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sport | Para swimming |
| Disability class | S11 |
Áine Maeve Kelly-Costello (born 30 March 1995) is a New Zealand
Early life
Kelly-Costello attended Pinehurst School in Auckland, New Zealand. Her school nominated her for the 2012 Sir George Elliot Scholarship and she was one of the three successful applicants; scholarship recipients are chosen for their academic ability and having experienced a challenging background.[2][3]
Para swimming career
Kelly-Costello competed in Para swimming as a teenager. She won four gold medals at the 2009 Australian Paralympic Youth Games in Melbourne, VIC, Australia.[1] Kelly-Costello is blind and competed in the S11 sports class. She has a rare recessive genetic disorder known as Leber congenital amaurosis.
She was selected to the New Zealand team for the
Kelly-Costello retired from Para swimming following London 2012 aged 17 to focus on her passion for music.[4]
Career as a climate justice and disability advocate
Kelly-Costello worked as a community organiser for the Access Matters campaign for accessibility law.[5]
In 2021, she completed a Masters in Investigative Journalism from Gothenburg University, conducting for her thesis a qualitative analysis on the practice of climate change journalism. This work has been featured in The Conversation.[6] Her writing on climate justice and disability rights has also appeared in other prominent media outlets.[7]
She hosts and produces Disability Crosses Borders, an independent podcast and blog featuring conversations where disability, migration and culture meet.
Passion for music
As a musician, Kelly-Costello plays a variety of instruments, and has led the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in concert.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Aine Maeve Kelly-Costello #180". Paralympics New Zealand. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Sir George Elliot Scholarships 2012". Office of the Governor-General. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Tertiary Scholarships". Sir George Elliot Charitable Trust. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ Penman, Maryke (24 October 2012). "Blind swimmer chooses flute". Stuff. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Áine Kelly-Costello at Imagine Better". Imagine Better. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ Kelly-Costello, Áine. "Why climate change must stay on the news agenda beyond global summits". The Conversation. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ Kelly-Costello, Áine (3 March 2022). "The missing conversation about disabled leadership in climate justice". Stuff. Retrieved 6 December 2022.