Christie

Raleigh Crossley

Quick Facts

• Grew up playing a multitude of sports, including playing in the boy's leagues for basketball and baseball, where she was the only girl
• In middle school, made the decision to focus on swimming, with dreams of making the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games
• Moved to Florida when she was 15 to attend Pine Crest School in hope of achieving her Olympic dreams
• Swam at Florida State University, where she was the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, an NCAA All-American and ACC Conference Meet MVP
• After sustaining a neck and back injury in 2007 after being hit by a drunk driver, and then a brain injury in 2008 as a pedestrian in a hit and run, Raleigh Crossley left FSU and moved to Baltimore to train at North Baltimore Athletics Club
• Took time off in 2010 to begin her family, then returned to the pool in 2012 at Rowan University to swim with her sister Lindsey, where she won an NCAA title
• Lists one of her favorite swimming memories as being able to do her post-win media with her then-16-month-old daughter in her arms
• When both of her kids were in school in 2018, Raleigh Crossley gave swimming one last try in hopes of making it to the Tokyo Olympic Games
• On Dec. 12, 2018 on a ski trip, Raleigh Crossley experienced paralysis on her left side due to the bleeding of a previously unknown blood tumor in her brain
• After realizing her Olympic dreams had likely ended with the tumor surgery, Raleigh Crossley saw Paralympic swimmer Michelle Konkoly during the Tokyo Olympic broadcast coverage, and looked into Paralympic sport eligibility
• In early 2022, began training as a Para swimmer
• Broke her first American Record in March 2022, which had previously been held by Konkoly
• Hopes to be to others who Konkoly was to her, the person whose visibility in media informs someone else what possibilities they have
• Outside of the pool, loves being a mom, photography, the New York Yankees, and anything that involves the water
• Has two daughters, Apribella Noelle and Loughlin Calianna Kathleen, and one son, Raleigh Ailbe

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2023 – gold (100m Backstroke S9 - Women), 5th (4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Mixed)
• Years of participation: 100m Backstroke S9 - Women 2023; 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Mixed 2023
• Medals: 1 (1 gold)
• Gold – 2023 (100m Backstroke S9 - Women)

Paralympic Experience

• 1-time Paralympian; 5-time Paralympic medalist (2 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)
• Paralympic Games Paris 2024, gold (100m Backstroke S9 - Women, 100m Butterfly S9 - Women), silver (100m Freestyle S9 - Women, 50m Freestyle S10 - Women), bronze (4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points - Mixed), 6th (4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points - Mixed)