Claire Taggart: The impact of Boccia – a totally inclusive sport

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Director of Sport, British Paralympic Association Penny Briscoe,which was first released on June 27, 2023.Our guest in this episode has been instrumental in the success of the British Paralympic team, helping them to achieve record-breaking medal hauls at 10 Paralympic Summer and Winter Games.Penny Briscoe competed for Great Britain in Canoe Slalom before becoming Senior National Coach for the GBR team at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.  She has worked in para sport as coach, team manager, performance director and is now Director of Sport at the British Paralympic Association and is also the Chef De Mission for Paralympics GB. In 2017, Penny was awarded an OBE for her services to disability sport.In this fascinating conversation we explore Penny’s path into para sport and how the role and profile of the British Paralympic Association has changed over 20 years.Penny shares the enormous impact of London 2012, the challenges that followed in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021, and her ambitions for Paris 2024.If you’d like to hear from other senior women leading British sport, previous episodes of The Game Changers include interviews with Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Sally Munday OBE, Dame Liz Nichol, Dame Katherine Grainger, Sue Day MBE, Baroness Sue Campbell and Clare Connor CBE.  Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Jodie Ounsley, who will be presenting at the games, which was first released on May 30, 2023.Today’s guest is Jodie Ounsley – a professional rugby player and Honorary President of UK Deaf Sport, who will also be a Gladiator in the new series that returns to the BBC later this year.Jodie is a powerful role model for women and girls and talks openly about her deafness and how it’s impacted her life on and off the pitch.  She explains how she’s unintentionally been training for Gladiators all her life and how she’s preparing for the public profile that comes with becoming ‘Fury’ in the new series.Jodie began her sporting career as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion before representing the UK in athletics at the Deaf Olympics. Five times Coal Carrying Champion, she then moved on to rugby where she’s represented England at 7s and now plays for the Exeter Chiefs in the Premier 15s. Alongside her success in sport, Jodie was awarded the Young Deaf Sports Personality of the Year and was also included in the BBC Woman’s Hour Power List 2023 which recognised 30 outstanding women in sport. Jodie’s videos on TikTok, where she shares her life as a young woman living with hearing loss, have been viewed almost 5 million times. Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Ellie Simmonds, which was first released on October 23, 2023.Our guest in this episode is Ellie Simmonds, one of the world’s most celebrated Paralympians. A five-time Paralympic Champion and 14-time World Champion, Ellie shot to fame when she won her first Paralympic medals aged just 13, at the Beijing Paralympic Games. After two gold medals there in 2008, Ellie went even better at London 2012. As the poster girl for the home games, she won 4 medals, including two Golds, and broke a further two World records. This success in London helped make Ellie the most recognised Paralympic athlete in Great Britain, if not the world. Rio 2016 saw Ellie once again top of the podium, winning another Gold and setting a new world record in the Individual Medley. Ellie retired from the pool in 2021 after her fourth Paralympics Games in Tokyo, finishing her career with an incredible 5 Paralympic gold medals, 14 World titles, 10 European titles and countless World records broken along the way. Ellie continues to work with a variety of charities including the Dwarf Sports Association, WaterAid, the Scouts and I AM WATER.In recent years it’s been fabulous to see Ellie’s work in the media. Along with making powerful documentaries, Ellie’s been a guest on some of the country’s most popular shows including Celebrity Googlebox, celebrity Masterchef – which she won – and her appearance on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing last year which cemented her status as one of the nation’s most well-loved personalities.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

This episode was previously released on October 29,  2019.Paratriathlon World Champion and Paralympic Silver medallist, Lauren also enthralled us all as a semi-finalist on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing.Ever wondered what it really takes to become a world champion? We're sitting down with Lauren Steadman, para-triathlon champ and Olympic silver medalist, to hear her story. From keen young swimmer to unbeatable triathlete, Lauren's journey is pretty incredible.She'll take us back to where it all started - her first memories of sports, the challenges of growing up with one hand, and how her family backed her all the way. It's not just about being great at sports though - it's about bouncing back when things get tough, learning to be comfortable in your own skin, and working your socks off to be the best you can be.But there's more to Lauren than just sport. She'll also chat about balancing her studies with training, and how Portsmouth Uni has been really supportive.And just when you thought you knew her, Lauren surprises everyone by appearing on Strictly Come Dancing! She'll talk about managing her intense sports career alongside learning to dance, and how she's been inspiring people along the way.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Sophie Carrigill, which was first released on July 26, 2022.Sophie Carrigill is a British wheelchair basketball player who represented and co-captained Great Britain at the World and European Championships and at the Paralympic games.She’s won world and European silver medals and reached the Paralympic semi-finals in a first for Great Britain.Sophie’s just returned from playing wheelchair basketball professionally in Italy and continues to explore her passions beyond the court as she advocates for disabled women in sport and beyond.Sophie talks candidly about the accident that caused her disability and the part sport has played in helping her to build her independence and strength. We explore the powerful inspiration of watching parasport at London 2012 and how she’s since had to overcome many setbacks in her sporting journey. She talks about playing professionally on a mixed team in Italy and her hopes for the future including a Paralympic medal at Paris 2024. We also discuss how using social media has helped her to find her voice and advocate for others, as well as attracting more commercial partnerships and new opportunities.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Claire Taggart, which was first released on February 13, 2024.Discover the intriguing world of Boccia with world champion and Paralympian Claire Taggart on this episode of Game Changers. Claire shares her journey from skepticism to passion for this highly inclusive Paralympic sport, offering insights into its unique rules, classifications, and accessibility features. Whether you’re familiar with similar games like bowls and petanque or completely new to boccia, Claire’s firsthand experience and enthusiasm bring the sport to life, highlighting its potential for anyone to participate, regardless of physical abilities.Claire also opens up about the challenges of raising awareness for boccia, a sport that often flies under the radar despite its competitive and strategic allure. She talks about her initial reluctance, the encouragement from her coach, and her efforts to boost boccia’s profile through social media. The conversation delves into the emotional journey of competing at an elite level while grappling with the limited recognition and visibility for boccia athletes, stressing the importance of acknowledgment and support within the Paralympic community.Family support emerges as a critical theme, with Claire reflecting on the sacrifices her parents have made to help her compete globally. She discusses the financial and social care hurdles faced by elite athletes with disabilities, and the recent changes in gender classification within boccia. As Claire contemplates her future, including her post-Paris 2024 plans and aspirations beyond sport, she emphasizes boccia’s transformative impact and encourages more women to get involved. Tune in for an inspiring episode that highlights the power of determination, family support, and the quest for greater visibility in Paralympic sports.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft, which was first released on November 1, 2022.Hannah Cockcroft is one of Britain’s most successful para-athletes who burst onto the world stage in 2010, breaking 9 wheelchair sprinting world records. She went on to win two golds at the London Paralympic games, with three more at the 2016 games in Rio and two in Tokyo 2021.In the summer of 2022, Hannah won gold in the T33/34 100m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, setting a new Games record and completing the set – with Gold medals at Every. Major. Athletics. Championships.It’s no wonder that Hannah was awarded an MBE in 2013 for her services to athletics which was followed by an OBE in last year New Year’s Honours. Hannah talks candidly about the loneliness she experienced as a disabled child with no visible role models and how that's now changing, how it felt to discover wheelchair racing, the challenges of classification in para sport and how it felt be beaten for the first time in 7 years. It's a fascinating conversation with a true trailblazer in women's sport.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

As we look forward to the Paralympics at Paris 2024, we're sharing this previous episode with Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, which was first released on September 15, 2020.Dame Sarah Storey is  the most successful British female Paralympian of all time with 38 World titles, 14 Paralympic Golds and 76 world records.Sarah was just 14 when she made her Paralympic debut at Barcelona 92, winning five medals including two Golds. She went on to win more medals in the pool at Atlanta, Sydney and Athens before moving to cycling and winning more medals on the track and the road at Beijing, London and Rio. Sarah’s also six times British national track champion.  Sarah, and her husband Barney, now run Storey Racing, and Sarah’s also the Active Travel Commissioner for the Sheffield City Region.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

In this final episode of series 17, Sue Anstiss talks to Stef Reid, a remarkable para-athlete who has spent her life breaking boundaries.Stef is a track and field Paralympian - a World Champion, four-time Paralympian, triple Paralympic medallist and five-time world record holder. Having retired from the track in 2022 Stef now works as a keynote speaker, broadcaster and executive coach, also turning her hand to modelling and acting.Steph was the first amputee to walk the London Fashion Week catwalk and starred in the British reality TV show Dancing on Ice in 2022.This is an extraordinary conversation with a truly inspiring woman.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

When it comes to building culture and leading an organisation there are few individuals doing it better than Tara Dillon, the CEO at CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for Sport and Physical Activity).Voted as one of the top 5 CEOs in the Times best companies initiative Tara remains passionate about the potential for the sport and physical activity sector to be a vital support arm for the NHS.Tara has transformed workplaces with her transformative attitude to fostering a collaborative environment and building trust. Hear how Tara’s unique hiring practices, alternative annual leave policy and coaching style of management enable every team member to thrive as a superhero in their role.At the forefront of CIMSPA’s work since her appointment in 2015, Tara leads initiatives that help professionalise the workforce and enhance the career prospects of those working in sport, leisure and fitness.Tara began her career in sport and physical activity as a lifeguard in her local leisure centre back in 1987. In 2001 She was appointed Contract Manager at DC Leisure Management, a company specialising in the development and management of leisure facilities on behalf of local authorities.She went on to be the Executive Director of IQL - the trading arm of the Royal Lifesaving Society and joined CIMSPA as CEO in 2015.Tara’s sense humour shines through in this fabulous episode. It would be hard not be inspired by her relentless pursuit of excellence.This podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at the Elevate trade show in London. Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production