Main content

Sophie Christiansen

Peter White meets Sophie Christiansen, triple gold Paralympic medallist at the London 2012 Games, and talks about her cerebral palsy how she is trying to challenge attitudes.

In this programme Peter meets Sophie Christiansen, who became a triple gold Paralympic medallist at the London 2012 Games and talks about her cerebral palsy how she is using her fame to help challenge attitudes around disability:

"We should use the Games as a platform to speak about disability as the public love the Paralympics and sport but don't always understand what life as a disabled person can be like. Whenever anyone tells me I'm doing a good job at that, it means I'm doing the right thing."

Sophie was introduced to horse riding on a school trip when she was just six years old - eventually discovering a love of speed riding which frequently saw her Dad running alongside her ready to catch her should she fall. Her first major international competition came ten years later - the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, where, riding Hotstuff, she won an individual bronze medal. That same year, she was also voted 大象传媒 London Disabled Athlete of the Year.

Sophie was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list for services to disabled sport and an OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours list.As well as becoming a triple gold Paralympic medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, 2012 also saw Sophie achieve her Masters degree in Maths from Royal Holloway University

Peter White explores her motivation, experiences and even her love life as the two chat about life after the Paralympics and the impact the Games have had.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Tue 22 Apr 2014 21:30

Sophie Christiansen

Sophie Christiansen

Triple Paralympic equestrian gold medallist聽Sophie Christiansen on what the games meant to her and聽 her approach to life as someone who has cerebral palsy.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 22 Apr 2014 09:00
  • Tue 22 Apr 2014 21:30