We decided to showcase and follow a handful of amazing Team GB athletes in sports that aren’t as moneyed or as hyped. Paris is the platform to put female talent and their stories in the spotlight.
~ Baz Moffat, CEO @ The Well HQ
The Olympics come around every four years. This is the pinnacle. It’s why athletes do what they do and compete as they compete. This is the world stage.
Of the 174 female athletes in Team GB (versus 153 male athletes), we wanted to spotlight a handpicked handful of Olympians and Paralympians with stories to tell …
Meet the Olympians
Calli Hauger Thackery – Marathon
Calli fell in love with athletics at Hallamshire Harriers before a scholarship took her to the US, and later Australia. At this year’s European Athletics Championship Calli bagged a bronze in the women’s half marathon, so we can’t wait to see what she has in store for Paris.
Isla Norman-Bell – Rugby Sevens
Part of the team that sealed Paris 2024 qualification with gold at the 2023 European Games, Isla’s part of Team GB’s Olympic Rugby Sevens team. Made in Rochester, raised in New Zealand, Isla’s rugby journey only began when the boys team needed more players.
Kate Shortman – Artistic Swimming (Duet)
Growing up, Kate was an accomplished speed swimmer and gymnast before her mum and sister inspired her towards artistic swimming. Kate and partner Isabelle Thorpe met as 10-year-olds and Paris will see their second Olympic showing as a duet.
Sophie Capewell – Track Cycling (Team)
Set for her Olympic debut, Sophie has rapidly scaled to the top with medals at both World and European Championships, and the Commonwealth Games. Alongside Katy Marchant and Emma Finucane, Sophie’s bidding for a first ever Team GB gold in the team event.
Meet the Paralympians
Melanie Woods – T54 wheelchair racing
After finishing just outside the medals at the Tokyo Games, Melanie is eagerly anticipating Paris 2024. Paralysed from the waist down following an accident in 2018, Melanie rediscovered her passion for sport and is a true inspiration for others vying to overcome adversity.
Erin Kennedy – Rowing PR3 Coxed Four
After winning a Tokyo gold in what she describes as the ultimate team sport, Erin received a breast cancer diagnosis, hence competing at Paris 2024 represents a truly remarkable comeback. An advocate for breast cancer awareness, Erin’s here to remind you: check your chest.
Good luck Team GB
Hands up. Sometimes (just sometimes) The Well HQ can be guilty of hammering on the problems: the gaps in education and coaching and kit and knowledge and research and funding and respect and …
Y’know – there’s a lotta them. But there are also amazing athletes with compelling and inspiring stories.
So let’s think about the dropout stats, the lack of funding, the systemic bias and the state of play in general. And let’s, then, consider that every female athlete representing Team GB is an outlier even before the starting pistol sounds.
Ladies we’ll be watching. You lead the way. You are why we do what we do.
We’ll be watching and spotlighting on our socials. See you there? Follow on the social links below, and Paris here we come …
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