The UK has provided the world with some of the best Paralympic athletes. Some use Mobility Aids, like those from www.abilitysuperstore.com/; others do not. Regardless of that, any Paralympian is a hero and a great example to all of us with regard to resilience and determination. Here are some of Britain’s best.
- Dame Sarah Storey. She has an impressive haul in terms of gold medals. 17 in total; she actually got 5 of them before she had turned 19. This incredible athlete is skilled at cycling and swimming, two areas that the UK has excelled in since 2008, and remains the most decorated British Paralympian. Bullied at school, she joined a swimming club at age ten, only to be told she’d never amount to anything.
- Mike Kenny. Before he was overtaken by Dame Sarah, Mike Kenny was the most decorated Paralympian in the UK. He came to the sport of swimming late. After an accident at work paralysed him, he turned to swimming as part of the recovery process. Representing Britain at the Toronto Paralympics in 1976, Kenny’s achievements were overshadowed by that of Tanni Grey Thompson. Not that Kenny bears any ill wind, he thinks of her as a great ambassador. The reason is that the IPC was not recognised until 1989, so Kenny’s victories were not counted until now.
- Livvy Breen is another of the country’s multi talented athletes. Despite her cerebral palsy, Breen is an accomplished sprinter and long jumper with a bronze medal from Tokyo 2020.