Kadeena Cox

Started: She has been involved in sport from a young age. "I was that kid that loved running around. Someone was like, 'Okay, we need to burn this girl's energy', so I started dance lessons at the age of four, and then just got into every school sport you can think of. I was good at everything, I know it sounds big-headed. But I was just that kid, sport was just my thing." (womenshealthmag.com, 21 Aug 2024; cityam.com, 19 Aug 2024) Reason: Her involvement in competitive sport began with hockey at Wetherby High School in England. Her hockey coach then suggested she take up sprinting after noticing her speed. She went on to compete in both athletics and cycling at the 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games, before focusing more on cycling ahead of the 2024 Games. "Because of how my body breaks down I have been doing a bit more cycling because it's low impact." (womenshealthmag.com, 21 Aug 2024; cityam.com, 19 Aug 2024) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (cityam.com, 19 Aug 2024) Milestones: In 2016 she became the first British athlete in 32 years to win gold in two different sports at a single edition of the Paralympic Games. She claimed gold in athletics [T38 400m] and cycling [C4-5 500m time trial] in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 03 Mar 2020; paralympic.org, 04 Oct 2019) Awards: She was appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [OBE] in the 2022 New Year Honours list. She was named Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [MBE] in the 2017 New Year Honours list. (bbc.com, 31 Dec 2021, 31 Dec 2016) In 2018 she received the UK Sport Inspirational Performance of the Year award at the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards [BEDSA]. (Twitter profile, 08 May 2018; sportingequals.org.uk, 24 Mar 2018) In 2017 she was named Sportswoman of the Year at the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards [BEDSA]. (activityalliance.org.uk, 19 Mar 2017) She was flag bearer for Great Britain at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (theguardian.com, 18 Sep 2016) Additional Info: MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE In 2016 she became the first British athlete in 32 years to win gold in two different sports [cycling and athletics] at a single edition of the Paralympic Games. Ahead of the 2024 Games in Paris, she indicated that she intends to soon give up at least one of the two sports. "I want to put doing two sports to bed, because I'm getting older and it's getting harder. I do still love athletics, it was always my first passion, so I do lean towards that, but because of how my body breaks down I have been doing a bit more cycling because it's low impact. I've been doing something called the LEVER Movement to allow me to do non-weighted running which takes a large percentage off my body weight, so that's helped. It's about being smarter and not training as hard as I used to." (cityam.com, 19 Aug 2024; independent.co.uk, 24 Jul 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES She works as an ambassador for toy manufacturer LEGO Group and their 'Unstoppable Project'. The project is aimed at children with impairments. "I want to continue to work with the LEGO Group on their Unstoppable Project and try to break down the barriers for young girls so they don't feel like they constantly have to live up to an expectation of being perfect." She has also served as an athlete advocate for UK Athletics [UKA]. (womenshealthmag.com, 21 Aug 2024; bbc.co.uk, 13 Mar 2021)