Desert Island Discs Sarah Storey on her sporting dreams
Oct 23, 2025
Dame Sarah Storey shares her journey as Great Britain's most successful Paralympian, starting from her first gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics. She reflects on discovering the Paralympics as a teen, sparked by her curiosity after watching them on TV. Sarah opens up about her left hand difference and the various family adaptations that shaped her resilience. Plus, she reveals how her training and determination have led her to win a staggering total of 19 gold medals, including recent successes in Paris!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Representation Sparks Ambition
- Not seeing herself as different let Sarah focus on ability rather than limitation, fueling competitive success in sport.
- Her experience shows representation can unlock ambitions by revealing previously unseen pathways.
Discovering Paralympic Possibility
- Sarah Storey discovered Paralympic sport after seeing a TV programme about an athlete missing part of an arm and realised it applied to her.
- She had always seen herself as a normal, sporty child who did things differently but could compete equally fast in swimming.
Family Normalised Independence
- Her family treated her limb difference as unremarkable and encouraged normal activities without special concessions.
- Grandmother's experience with disabled children led to a pragmatic approach, letting Sarah learn independence and use small gadgets when needed.
