One of Britain’s greatest ever Paralympians, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is winner of 11 Paralympic gold medals and six London Wheelchair Marathons. Tanni became an International Inspiration Ambassador in July 2009.
Biography
Tanni crowned a magnificent career with two gold medals in the 100m and 400m in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. It took her remarkable medal haul over 16 years and five Paralympic Games to 11 gold, three silver and a bronze, and established her as one of the most gifted and courageous sportswomen of her generation. Tanni also won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times between 1992 and 2002.
Now retired, Tanni plays an active role in sport administration. She is Vice-President of the Women's Sports Foundation, a non-executive director of UK Athletics, a member of the board of the London Marathon, and was recently appointed to the board of Transport for London. She is currently supporting Sport for Development projects all over the world.
Tanni received a damehood for her services to sport in 2005 and was made a crossbench peer in 2010. Tanni's commitment to changing people's attitudes to disability and to use the power of sport to improve children's lives was cemented when she became an International Inspiration Ambassador in 2009.
A few words from Tanni
'When I was growing up, sport for disabled people didn't get that much coverage on television. But I remember saying that I was going to be there one day, on the starting line with everyone else. Millions of children living in poverty around the world never even get to the starting line. If they're disabled, they've got even less chance.
'That's why I am so proud to be involved with International Inspiration, which is bringing the transforming power of sport to break down barriers, promote positive attitudes towards children with impairments, and ultimately give them the chance to achieve their full potential.'
