Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, DBE (1969-) is the UK’s most successful Paralympian. Born in Cardiff, she was immobilised with spina bifida by age 7, but that did nothing to stop her trying different disability sports and, at age 13, she discovered her talent for wheelchair racing. This involves kneeling in a custom-made chair with two splayed side-wheels and a smaller front wheel. Arm power and reinforced gloves are the key to success.
Tanni first competed internationally in 1987. She went on to amass one Bronze, 4 Silver and 11 Gold medals in five successive Paralympic Games from 1988 to 2004. Among other achievements at the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m track races, she has also won 13 World Championship medals and won the Women’s London Wheelchair Marathon no less than six times from 1992 to 2002. The 1992 Barcelona Paralympics were among her favourites, as she witnessed the sudden growth of recognition for disabled sports worldwide.
Since retiring from sport in 2007, Tanni has coached youngsters, given speeches at events, been a television presenter and has even entered the House of Lords as an Independent politician after becoming first a Dame, then a Baroness. She relishes the opportunity to debate women’s and disability rights, as well as sports and health issues.
(Top image: rjp at Flickr.com / CC BY-SA 2.0)
