Olivia Breen

Started: She began training with the junior group of the City of Portsmouth Athletics Club in England at age 12. (Athlete, 16 Aug 2012; englandathletics.org, 30 Jul 2012) Reason: She wanted to do the same things as her twin brother while growing up. Her mother Helen said that a Talent Introduction Day proved to be a major turning point in Olivia's life. "She was reluctant to view herself as disabled and in any way different from her friends. [Since she got into Para sport] she has seen her disability as a positive element of her personality," said Helen. (dvlcc.org.uk, 01 Jan 2018; englandathletics.org, 30 Jul 2012) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (dai-sport.com, 13 Jul 2023) Awards: In 2022 she was named Female Para Athlete of the Year by Athletics Weekly magazine. (athleticsweekly.com, 31 Dec 2022) She was named the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2022. (bbc.co.uk, 21 Dec 2022) She was named the 2017 Disability Sport Wales Female Athlete of the Year. (haslemereherald.com, 08 Feb 2018) She was named Junior Disability Sportsperson for Athletics at the 2013 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Awards in England. (portsmouthathletic.co.uk, 21 Apr 2013) Additional Info: COACH She placed seventh in the 100m and 12th in the long jump at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and was then told shortly before the relay was due to start that she was not going to be part of the team. Following the Games she decided to move to Loughborough, England, to work with coach Aston Moore, and went on to win gold in the T38 long jump at the 2017 World Championships in London, England. "I met [Aston] in Rio. We just got on. My coach before was great but I knew I just needed to move up to the next level and the next step. I knew if I was to become a better athlete, I had to change something. I just thought, 'This coach knows me a bit' so let's build a relationship, let's see if he'll have me and he took me on. It was the best thing ever and I'm so thankful to have him as a coach." (sportspielonline.com, 09 Aug 2020)

Sporting Relatives: Her twin brother Dan has trained at the City of Portsmouth Athletics Club in England. (Facebook profile, 21 Feb 2021; portsmouthathletic.co.uk, 26 Feb 2013)