Hackney People
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson is Britain’s most successful disabled athlete. She won bronze at the Seoul Paralympic Games in 1988 and went on to win 11 gold and four silver Paralympic medals.
Between 1992 and 2002 she also won the London Marathon six times.
Since retiring in 2004, she has been busier than ever as a TV pundit, international ambassador for sport and activist for disabled rights.
She moved to Hackney last year. “After I retired from athletics, I spent two years living in hotels – the most depressing thing. So I got a flat. I settled on Hackney because it is a good place to be. I think it’s great living here. And of course Hackney is a host borough for the 2012 Games,” she said.
Dame Tanni eagerly anticipates the benefits the Games will bring.
“I sit on a few committees and I’m involved with the diversity and inclusion group, which looks at how we employ people. Local people can apply for jobs, or volunteer, and businesses can benefit,” she said.
And there are big opportunities for disabled people, as London 2012 promises to be the most accessible and inclusive Games yet. London was the first city to bid for the Olympics and Paralympics together, and now it’s the first host to have a joint organising committee.
With increased support, sponsorship and media coverage, Paralympians will be able to compete on the same stage as their Olympic team mates. Dame Tanni said:“It’s a massive step forwards. The Paralympics is a huge opportunity for London and we can grab it to make change. Hopefully it will get people thinking differently.”
Although stigma around disability is less now than it was, there is more to do to achieve equality.
As a young athlete Dame Tanni regularly experienced discrimination, but her determination taught her not to tolerate it.
“People asked me if I had to train to be a Paralympian,” she recalls.
“‘Yep, I told them, 15 times a week, 52 weeks a year.’”
Things are different now, but not for many others. She said: “The reality is that if you’re disabled you’re likely to experience discrimination.
“Disabled people can have low expectations due to the environment they’ve grown up in.
“This is where the Games can change things.” As both inspirational athlete and committed activist, Dame Tanni has raised the profile of disabled sports. She feels it’s only a matter of time before disabled and non-disabled athletes achieve equal recognition. And this may well be London 2012
Curriculum vitae
- 1969 Born in Cardiff
- 1988 Wins first Paralympic medal in Seoul
- 1992-2002 Wins the London Marathon six times
- 1992-2004 Wins 11 gold and four silver medals at the Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, and Athens Paralympics
- 2000 BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Helen Rollason Award
- 2005 Made a Dame of the British Empire
- 2007 Appointed non-executive director for UK Athletics and board member for the London Marathon
- 2008 Becomes board member of Transport for London
- 2010 Made a crossbench peer in the House of Lords
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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