121. Sarah Storey: 5x Gold Medalist in Paralympic Games

Jun 25, 2024

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Making it to the Olympics is quite an accomplishment. Athletes train for years to be at their peak for a sliver of time, shunning the outside world, driven by a singular focus of being recognized as the best in their chosen sport. When you sit back and think about how incredible it must be to reach that point, you can’t help but stand in awe of their immense talent and greatness. The only thing greater than making it to multiple Olympics … is making it to multiple Olympics in different sports.

Today on HawkeTalk, we’ll spend time with Sarah Storey, a woman who has done just that. She’s the most decorated Paralympian in history who first burst on the scene as a swimming phenom. Once she decided to hang up her goggles instead of swimming off into the sunset, she grabbed a bike and became a world-class cyclist, dominating the road in the same fashion she did in the pool. She joins us today to discuss her path to greatness, how she overcame her disability, and the advice she gives others dealing with their own. If you’ve been sitting back, too afraid to jump into the game of life, listen to Sarah Storey, and you’ll get all the inspiration you need!

In this episode:

(1:42) – Sarah’s athletic career begins at age 6.
(4:28) – Sarah discusses the disability in her left hand.
(10:30) – At 12, the level of competition grows.
(15:54) – Two golds, three silvers, and a bronze medal at 14 at the Barcelona Olympics.
(20:26) – Socialization challenges lead to mental health and eating disorders.
(30:00) – Looking at the 2012 Olympics.
(36:54) – Sarah is committed to making it to the Paris Olympics.
(37:20) – Sarah discusses her future, but she has no concrete plans.
(38:53) – Sarah encourages listeners to be extraordinary instead of ordinary.

Our Guest

Sarah Storey is the most decorated female Paralympian in history, with 16 gold medals, five silver medals, and three bronze medals. Born in Eccles, just outside of Manchester, she is a 29-time world champion in both cycling and swimming and an 18-time European champion. In 2005, a persistent ear infection caused her to switch full-time to cycling. Upon making the switch, her dominance continued as she set the para world record in the Women’s 3,000 individual race, breaking the record she previously set at The Tokyo Olympics. Sarah is a true champion and a shining testimony of the relentless human spirit and the willingness to persevere against all odds.

Hawke Media

Sarah Storey

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