Book IWD Speaker: Dame Sarah Storey

Great Britain's Greatest Paralympian, Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University & Active Travel Commissioner for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Dame Sarah Storey’s career spans more than three decades at the highest level of sport. She first broke through at the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992, winning two golds, three silvers and a bronze as a teenage swimmer. It set the tone for an extraordinary run. Across Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, she added multiple podium finishes, including three golds in Atlanta and a trio of medals in both Sydney and Athens. She later switched to cycling, a move that reshaped her legacy. By the time she arrived in Beijing in 2008, she was winning world titles on the bike and went on to claim two Paralympic golds there. London 2012 cemented her as a national figure, with four gold medals and a commanding presence across road and track events.

Her medal tally only grew. She secured three golds at Rio 2016, followed by another dominant performance in Tokyo, where she collected three more titles. At the Paris Games in 2024, she added two gold medals to her record, strengthening her place as one of Britain’s greatest Paralympians. One example of her staying power came in Tokyo, where she won the women’s C5 time trial in heavy rain, beating younger rivals with a ride built on experience and steel.

Sarah’s leadership off the bike has been just as strong. She has served as Active Travel Commissioner in South Yorkshire and later for Greater Manchester, influencing policy on cycling, walking and accessible transport. She was appointed a Non-Executive Director at the Department for Transport in 2021, bringing lived insight into national decision-making. Alongside her sporting career, she has built and led teams, including Storey Racing and Podium Ambition, and mentors young riders through the Skoda UK Cycling Academy. Her academic and civic roles, including Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University and President of Emirates Old Trafford, reflect the respect she commands across sectors. In 2025, she is set to compete in Dancing On Ice, a reminder of her drive to take on new challenges.

Organisations book Dame Sarah Storey for International Women’s Day because she embodies determination, reinvention and purposeful leadership. She speaks openly about resilience, long-term ambition and the discipline that carried her through seven Paralympic Games. She also champions opportunities for young people and supports charities that improve children’s lives. Her talks encourage audiences to think bigger, adapt quickly and commit to progress. When businesses want a speaker who brings genuine achievement, warmth and a practical roadmap for overcoming obstacles, Sarah stands out.

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