大象传媒

Wheelchair racer Tanni Grey-Thompson won glory for her sport as well as herself, forcing the world to take the Paralympics seriously.

1. She was inspired to win a marathon in a city without kerb drops

At the time Grey-Thompson decided to race in her wheelchair, the British landscape for disabled people was awkward to say the least. No kerb drops, limited lifts and few accessible toilets. Yet when she saw the London Marathon stage its first wheelchair race aged 13, she decided she had to compete. Her eventual success – six wins – and the surrounding publicity no doubt helped to change the very streets she raced on.

2. She set the gold standard

Grey-Thompson’s Paralympic success of 16 medals is made all the more impressive in that she often won multiple medals at the same games. No saving herself for key events; at Barcelona in 1992 she won four gold medals… then did it again at the Sydney Games in 2000. With many of the public unaware of the Paralympics when she started racing, Tanni’s outstanding success has helped raise the profile of the games as a whole. Today we’re prouder than ever of our incredible Paralympians.

3. She’s making politics accessible

As one of the UK’s most decorated Paralympians, Grey-Thompson was recommended for a peerage and she now sits as an independent in the House of Lords. Her sporting success has helped inspire positive changes in our attitude towards disability and she continues to champion disabled people's rights in the corridors of power.