Katja Dedekind is an Australian Paralympic vision-impaired swimmer. She won a swimming bronze medal in the Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 at both the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, alongside a bronze in the Women's 400m Freestyle S13.
Born in Durban, South Africa, but raised in the Sunshine State, Katja’s love affair with Para-swimming goes as far back as she can remember. Katja started playing goalball and at one stage, she trained alongside the Australian women’s team – but Para-swimming remained a constant.
In 2016, those many years of commitment finally began to pay off. Having rightfully earned a place on the 2016 Australian Paralympic Team, Katja knew she had to make the most of her first opportunity to compete on the world stage, and came out swinging. Stunning her supremely more experienced rivals, Katja won a bronze medal in the women’s 100m backstroke S13.
Since then she has made the Australian Swim Team every year, from Para Pan Pacs in Cairns, to Worlds in London and Maderia, and finally to her second Paralympic Games in Tokyo. At the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, she broke the WORLD RECORD in the Women's 50m Freestyle S13. Katja holds 5 Short Course World Records as of 2022.
She is coached by Kate Sparkes in Brisbane, where she has won a World Champion title and two silvers, as well as her Commonwealth Games gold under Kates' guidance.
Outside of swimming, Katja studies part time at Griffith University, starting her Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
