Born with achondroplasia - a type of autosomal dominant genetic disorder that is a common cause of dwarfism - very few other than those closest to Simmonds realised just what a special talent she was heading into the 2008 Games. Once she dived into the pool at the Beijing National Aquatics Centre though; everything in her life changed. 

Swimming in the S6 disability category in China, Simmonds destroyed the field in both the 100 and 400 metres freestyle events. She broke the world record by an astonishing seven seconds in the 400m freestyle and claimed two Paralympic gold medals to become Britain’s youngest ever Paralympic champion.

Her extraordinarily courageous display and tearful celebrations in Beijing immediately captured the hearts of the nation and upon her return to Britain; Simmonds was shocked to learn that she had become an instant celebrity. 

"It was really weird when I got back from Beijing," Simmonds explained to insideworldparasport at training base in Swansea. "I thought that a few people in Britain might have seen me on television during the Paralympics but it seemed like everyone I encountered knew who I was.

"One of the strangest things was people randomly coming up to me in the street and congratulating me on what I had done at the Paralympics.

"After a while I got use to it but it was very surreal at first.

"When I first came onto the team, I always saw Dave Roberts [the 11 time Paralympic gold medalist] and some of the older members of the swimming team get loads of media attention and cameras put in front of them and it’s quite nice to be up in the spotlight with them now even if it did take a little getting use to!"

Following Beijing, Simmonds was simply showered with prestigious accolades. She picked up the 2008 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award and shortly afterwards, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours. At 14, Simmonds was the youngest person to have ever received the honour which was awarded to her by Queen Elizabeth II in February 2009.

"It was an honour meeting the Queen and I was a little nervous but I was also very proud to get the award," Simmonds explained. "But to be honest, my favorite award to receive was the 2008 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award because of all the sports stars I got to meet at the event.

"I met Jenson Button [the Formula One World Champion] and David Haye [the WBA Heavyweight champion] who are both heroes of mine. I also really like getting dressed up and attending big sports events like the BBC Sports Personality of the Year because most of the time I am just in my swimming costume."

Having achieved so much already, it is easy to forget that the instantly likeable Simmonds is just 15-years-old but she explains that despite her fame, she has not changed in any way since her dramatic Beijing 2008 triumphs. 

"I am just a normal teenage girl and when I am not in the pool training or studying for my GCSE’s, I like to do normal things like chat with my friends and watch Eastenders.

"I obviously have to be really organised because I have so many commitments that I have to juggle but I always make time to just relax and chill out.

"Its all about finding a balance between everything but Billy really helps me with that."

Billy Pye is Simmonds’ coach and the man largely credited with making the girl from Walsall the swimming phenomenon that she is.

Simmonds says that Pye is one of the most important influences in her life and revealed: "Billy is great and for me, he is the best coach in the world.

"But he is not just a coach, he is also a friend and I feel like I can talk to him about anything."

Pye has gone on record before stating that he does not want Simmonds to have too many media commitments heading into London 2012 but Simmonds laughs when I bring up the subject.

"I really like talking to the media," she says, "but like I said, it is all about finding a balance and I trust Billy to help me find that balance.

"Talking to the media and going to big events is all really fun but the thing I love more than anything is swimming and winning races.

"Swimming gave me the opportunity to experience things that I never thought I would be able to experience like going to meet the Queen so swimming is my number one priority.

"Heading into London 2012, I know there will be even more of a media focus on the Paralympics and on me but I know that my swimming is the most important thing and the reason I train so hard in the pool is to be the very best I can be."

On the subject of London 2012, I remind Simmonds that she is on almost every poster regarding the Games and I ask her whether she is feeling the pressure of being the golden girl of disability sport in Britain heading into the home Games.

Without a second’s hesitation, she responds: "I think pressure is a good thing because it makes me work harder and makes me want to perform even better. I know there will loads of pressure on me in London but I know that the pressure will make me perform even better.

"I have other competitions to think about before 2012 but London is always in the back of your mind because of how big the event will be in front of a home crowd.

"After Beijing, four years seemed like a really long time to go until London 2012 but two years have already passed by so quickly that I know it won’t be long until we are at the Games.

"I am really excited about London but right now, I am trying not to think too far ahead so the BT Paralympic World Cup and the IPC World Championships are the main things on my mind right now."

The IPC Disability Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven in August may be the most important event of the year for Britain’s elite disability swimmers but Simmonds says that her favourite annual event is, without a doubt, the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester which takes place at the end of the month.

"I really enjoy the BT Paralympic World Cup because it gets so much media attention and is broadcast live on national television.

"Competing in front of a home crowd is one of the best feelings in the world and the crowds in Manchester are always amazing.

"Now that people recognise me a cheer for me, I feel a responsibility to perform very well when I swim in Britain and I am glad that I can help promote disability sport.

"Being famous is great but the most important thing for me is that I can use that to raise the awareness and profile of disability sport in order to create better opportunities for others with a disability to participate in sports that they can enjoy."

With that inspiring and surprisingly mature statement, we said our goodbyes and I am left with the reverberating thought that despite being just a normal 15-year-old at heart, Ellie Simmonds is far more extraordinary than any teenager I have ever encountered before. 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

Tom Degun is the Paralympics correspondent of insideworldparasport