Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey features on the cover of Radio Times

Tuesday 20 August 2024

Cover star Sarah Storey will be competing at her ninth Games, an amazing record that no one will be able to better. The 46-year-old tells Radio Times how she first competed as a swimmer at the Barcelona Games in 1992 and how she then decided to change disciplines to road cycling and has since become Britain’s most decorated Paralympian.

Paralympians are elite athletes who happen to have a disability. ParalympicGB athletes train just as hard as their Team GB colleagues and can suffer the same injuries – and several different ones – in the pursuit of excellence. However, the Paralympians featuring in this week’s issue explain why they do not want sympathy or to be called superheroes.

The athletes, including Paralympian and disability rights campaigner Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson also open up about important wider issues.

“In day-to-day life, we add hurdles to people with disabilities, because we forget to think about them. The London Paralympics might have been inspiring, but it didn’t change the fact that disabled people are still left on trains because there are no ramps, or that people leave Lime bikes lying on the pavement. All of that matters.”

Sarah Storey

Also in this week’s Radio Times:

  • ‘Farm strength’ and a silver racing wheelchair with pink stars inspired Sammi Kinghorn to become our fastest sprinter.
  • After treatment for breast cancer, Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden is back.
  • Sherwood star David Morrissey is serious about his craft – and just as earnest about having a laugh.

The Paralympics 2024 issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here.