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Magte Chunneiiang Mary Kom is a former boxer and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (2016-22). Mary has a number of notable firsts for a female boxer from India. She was the only female Indian boxer to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics -in the flyweight category she won bronze. She is the only boxer to win the Amateur Boxing Championship 6 times. At the 2014 first Indian female boxer to win gold at the Asian Games. At the 2018 first Indian female boxer to win gold at the Commonwealth Games. She has been ranked No.1 female light-flyweight by the International Boxing Association. In 2017 the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports appointed her and Akhil Kumar as national observers of boxing. Mary’s parents were concerned that boxing would stop her finding a husband. She found a husband, they had 2 children and she returned to boxing. Her husband supported her - gave up his job to look after the children- so she could continue. Mary has opened a boxing academy in Imphal and been a Member of Parliament. * Take me as an example and don’t give up Mary Kom Sources Wikipedia RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Sue Barker is a former professional tennis player and television presenter. During her tennis career she won 15 WTA tour single titles including the 1976 French Open aged 20. She also won 12 doubles titles. She reached a career high singles ranking of world No. 3 on 20th March 1977. She won her last doubles title in 1982 at Cincinnati and played her last professional match in 1984. Her mentor throughout her career was Arthur Roberts. He began coaching her in 1966 when she was 10 years of age. In 2004, recalling her French Open win in 1976,she said,* I’m still incredibly proud of what I achieved.*** She retired from playing tennis to presenting it! From 1985 until 1990 she became a commentator and sports reporter for Australia’s Channel 7. She then joined British Sky Broadcasting. In 1993 she joined the BBC and was a regular guest on* Today at Wimbledon* with Harry Carpenter. In the 1990’s hosted BBC Wimbledon Highlight show with Pam Shriver. In 1994 took over as host of* Today at Wimbledon*. From 2000 until 2022 she anchored the 2 week long broadcast of the Wimbledon tennis championships for the BBC. Sue had a long broadcasting career. She enjoyed commentating on many sports- from horse racing to the Olympics. - summer and winter. From 1997 until 2020 she presented* A Question of Sport*- a programme which viewers very much enjoyed watching. In 2000 received an MBE for services to sport and broadcasting. In 2016 received OBE for broadcasting and charity. In 2021 received CBE for broadcasting and charity. In 1982 met Cliff Richard. In 1988 married Lance TanKard Autobiography ‘Calling the Shots’ published in 2022. Sources Wikipedia Passing the Torch - Sportswomen who Inspire

Sharron is a former English swimmer who represented GB in the Olympics and European championships. She has attended 12 consecutive Olympics -3 as a competitor and 9 as a commentator. She also competed in the international community spanning 20 years. She learned to swim when she was 6 years of age. By the age of 8 she was training seriously. Aged 11 swam for the British national team. Aged 13 represented GB at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Aged 14 won 2 bronze medals at the 1977 European Championships. Aged 15 won 2 gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in the 200 ` and 400 individual medleys. Aged 17 she won a silver medal at the 1980 games in the 400m individual medley Aged 18 ‘called time’ to build her television profile and career in modelling. Aged 27’ returned’ to the pool. Aged 32, in 1994, finally retired having been British champion 22 times , broken 200 British swimming records and held 5 World Masters records( eligible when over 30) When she retired she worked for various media organisations and programmes. (Read* Publications, media programmes and other work*) Given a MBE in 1993 in recognition for her sevices to swimming. In 2005 supported London’s bid for the 2112 Olympics. On BBC’s Question Time made a strong case for bringing the Games to London. She is a patron of the Disabled Sport Rngland and SportsAid. She has her view on trans women.In 2023 criticised Nike for using Dylan Mulvany, a transgengender woman to model their products. There is talk that her silver , won in 1980, could still be turned into gold. The gold medallist, Petra Schneider, from East Germany, has admitted that the victory was drug enhanced.

Clare has close family links with horse racing and between 1988-1993 was a leading amateur flat jockey. In 1990 she was the Champion Lady Rider. She then moved onto commentating on horse racing. She is an English broadcast journalist and author. Her memoir My Animals and Other Family, looking at her life growing up in racing yard won the 2012 National Book award for* Autobiography of the year. She has reported on 7 Olympic Games and presented 5 Paralympic Games. (Read her Broadcasting Career- 30 years covering sport and many other events) She has written columns for* The Sporting Life, Racing Post, Sunday Telegraph, The Evening Standard,* and regularly writes in the Waitrose Weekend. She is now focusing on women’s sport and had a great time doing women’s football show for C4, women’s super League matches for BT Sport, women’s tennis for the BBC and BT. She is a patron for a number of charities (Read* Charitable activities*) She believes strongly that improving coverage and investment in Paralympic and women’s sport will have far reaching benefits In 2013 received OBE for services to broadcasting and journalism. In 2020 appointed ,for 2 years, president of the Rugby Football League. In her tenure she hoped women’s game would turn professional. In 2022 she received a CBE for services to sport and charity. Clare is definitely one of the UK’s renown sports broadcasters. Sources Wikipedia Women in Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky *Passing the Torch Sportswomen who Inspire Mary Peters Trust

Robbie Brightwell was captain of the GB team at the i1964 Olympics in Tokyo. He was a 400m runner. He came fourth in the individual 400m; the 4x400 men’s team won silver. He married Ann Packer-( the surprise GB winner of the individual 800m gold medal ) after the Olympics. After his own disappointment in the individual 400m he had encouraged the reluctant Ann to run in the 800m. Both received MBEs in 1965 for their services to athletics.

Ann, at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, was the unexpected winner of the 800m winning in world record time of 2:01.1 minutes. This was only her eighth race over the distance. She had already won silver in the 400m. Her local club was Reading Athletic club where she competed in 200m, 400m, 800m, 4 x 100 and 4 x400 relays, hurdles and long jump. After winning the gold she announced her retirement. She, with her future husband, Robbie Brightwell, were awarded MBEs in 1965 for services to athletics. In 2011 they published a book detailing their careers Robbie Brightwell and his Golden Girl:The Posh and Becks of Yesteryear. Source Wikipedia

Mary Denise Rand (nee Bignal) is a former English track and field athlete. In 1964 she won the gold medal for the long jump, in a new world record - 6,76 metres, at the Summer Tokyo Olympic games. At the same Olympics she also won silver in the Pentathlon (5 events) and bronze in the 4 x 100 relay. Mary remains the only GB athlete to win medals in a single games.

Nicola Adams became the first female boxer to become an Olympic champion in 2012. At the London Summer Olympics she won fly weight title. She went on to successfully defend her title at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. She began her career as an amateur representing Haringey Police Community Club. She went on to win the entire set of amateur championships available to her - Olympic, Commonwealth and European Games titles. She turned professional in 2017 and went on to capture the WBO flyweight title. She only fought 6 ties as a professional - winning 5 and drawing her last contest. In her rematch with Maria Salinas she suffered a torn pupil and after consultation retired, undefeated. I’m immensely honoured to have represented our country- to win double Olympic medals and then the WBO championship belt is a dream come true. Nicola Adams. (Nicola became the first openly LGBT person to win an Olympic boxing gold medal.) Sources Wikipedia Women in Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky

Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur on the 7th February 2005 broke the world record for a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe with a time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. The very next day she became a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) and granted the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Commander, Royal Naval Reserve on the same day Born in 1976 she went on a yacht for the first time aged just 4. Aged 8 she began saving up for a boat of her own! Aged 18 she sailed solo around Great Britain . Aged 20 she raced across the Atlantic. Aged 29 she sailed solo no-stop around the world in her trimaran B&Q/Castorama. (Read her Professional Sailing Career and Sailing Records)- it is incredible what she achieved. Ellen retired in 2009 having set up many sailing records along the way. In 2003 she set up the Ellen MacArthur Trust (now the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust) to help 8-24 year olds to regain confidence while recovering from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illnesses. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which promotes the use on the circular economy, was launched in 2010. It does this by developing and promoting the concept of recycling rubbish to make new products by working with business, policy makers and academics. This world, that I thought as a child was the biggest, most adventurous place you could image, is not that big, and there’s an awful lot of us on it. Ellen MacArthur Sources used Wikipedia Women of Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky

Dame Katherine Granger began rowing in 1993 while attending university in Edinburgh. She competed in both the double and quadruple skulls, plus the coxless pairs. In 2000, at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, medals were awarded to females for the first time in rowing- she won a silver in the quadruple skulls event. For a number of Olympics she gained medals but it was not until 2012 that she won gold in the double sculls with her partner Anna Watkins. I n 2012 she was the first female to win medals at 4 consecutive Olympic games. In 2016, in Rio, she won a further silver medal with Victoria Thornley after having a break of 2 years from the sport! In the 2017 New Years Honours list Katherine was awarded a DCM (Dame Commander of the British Empire) for services to sport and charity.

Tanni was christened Carys Davina Grey but when her sister saw her for the first time she referred to her as ‘tiny’, pronouncing it ‘tanni’- the nickname stayed. She was born with spina bifida. (Spina bifida is when a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not develop properly in the womb - causing a gap in the spine.) This did not stop her from enjoying and competing in sports. As a young athlete she competed in wheelchair basketball. Tanni became an outstanding GB Paralympic champion in wheelchair racing, winning 11 gold medals over 100-800 metres between 1992-2004, plus 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. She broke/held over 30 world records and won the London Marathon 6 times between 1992-2002. She retired from competing on 27th February 2007 Tanni continues to be an inspiration for disabled athletes. Her contribution to inclusivity and equal rights for the disabled resulted in her becoming The Right Honourable The Baroness Grey-Thompson in the 2012 New Year’s honours list. Her autobiography Seize the Day was published in 2001. Sources Wikipedia Women in Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky

Women’s football has taken off in an enormous way in 2022. These 4 women were there at the beginning. 4 wikipedia profiles Amandine Henry French b. 1989 known as The conqueror Marta Viera da Silva Brazilian b.1986 known asThe Brazilian pear**** Mia Hamm American b 1972 known asWoman with the golden feet** Nadine Angerer German b.1978 known as The invincible These 4 are included in Fantastic Footballers 40 inspiring icons written by Jean-Michel Billiou a WIde Eyed publication

Harpal Singh - a former professional footballer who played for Bradford City , Bristol Rovers, Bury, Leeds, Stockport County, Sligo Rovers, Bohemians and Dundalk. Jazz Juttle- former Scottish footballer who was part of the Rangers youth system -eventually played for Greenock Morton, He was one of the few from Scottish Asian descent to be involved in professional football in Scotland Mark Chopra -position striker - spent 6 years at Newcastle United but never secured a regular place in the first team. Went on loan to Watford, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley. Played for Cardiff ( four), Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Blackpool, Kerala Blasters (twice) and Alloa Athletic. Represented England at under 16, 17,19 and 20 levels. Mark Ravin Ramprakash - a gifted former right handed cricketer. Selected for England aged only 21 but rarely performed to his full potential in his long but intermittent international career in Tests and ODI (1991-2002) . Played originally for Middlesex and then moved to Surrey -averaged over 100 first class runs in seasons 2006 and 2007 . He scored 100 first class centuries. In 2014 appointed as England’s batting coach. Neil Taylor- footballer - played for Wrexham, Swansea City and Aston Villa - made international debut for Wales in 2010 Ravi Bopara - cricket all-rounder - bats right handed and bowls right arm medium- played for Sussex. He was part of the England team from 2007-15. He scored 3 consecutive 100s for England against the West Indies in 2008-9 but then struggled to find best form and was dropped. In 2016 he took over the captaincy of the Essex one day team. Ronni Irani- former England cricket all-rounder- right-handed batsman and right arm medium bowler - found niche in One Day Internationals (ODI). Began career with Lancashire then spent most of his career at Essex County Cricket Club. he was an all-rounder until 2003 when a knee injury stopped him from bowling. Retired from first class cricket in 2007. He scored 20,000 runs and took 650 wickets. Yan Dhanda - he is an attacking midfield footballer - began career at West Bromwich, spent 5 years in the youth ranks at Liverpool, now plays for Swansea City. Represented England at U16 and U 17s. He says racism inspires him to play his best.

I have put together some information about some Asian British Sports personalities -there is an emphasis on cricket. Adil Rashid is an English cricketer who plays for Yorkshire and England as a leg spinner. He was part of the England squad that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. His England captain,Eoin Morgan, regards him as a strong asset. He belongs to the Mirpuri community. Isa Guha is former England cricketer. She is now a cricket commentator,television and radio broadcaster. A member of the winning 2009 World Cup for women. She played for Thames Valley and Berkshire Manish Tailor is the founder of Swaggarlicious- founded in 2011 - which uses the power of football and education to engage with diverse community groups and organisations with mental illness. Her inspiration is her twin brother, who aged 18 had serious mental problems.A former headteacher she has received many awards for her contribution to community and sport. Moeen Ali is a former English international cricketer and captain- retired September 2021. He is a left handed batsman but a right-arm off- spinner. Represented England in all the formats. A member of the England’s 2019 winning squad. Former Warwickshire player now plays for Worcestershire. Monty Panesar is a former English international cricketer. He was a slow left-arm orthodox spinner. He made his debut in 2006. He was not a regular member of the team - Graeme Swann replaced him. He played for several different counties Naomi Dilip Dattani is an English professional cricketer who plays for and captains Middlesex Women and also plays for Sunrises and London Spirit. She is an all-rounder- she bats left handed and bowls left-arm medium. In 2020 she was one of 25 players awarded regional retainer contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Nasser Hussain is a former England captain (1999-2003) and regarded as one of England’s most able captains. He played 96 test matches and 88 One day international games. He was a right handed batsman who scored over 30,000 in his career. He is now a commentator. Ruqsana Begum is a female professional kickboxer and boxer. She was a British and World Kickboxing Association Atomweight MuayThai boxing champion and captain of the British Muay Thai team. In 2018 she switched to boxing. Salma Bi is a former cricketer, who bowled off-spin and played for Worcestershire, Northampton and MCC. Today she runs a range of cricket schemes and sessions for girls and was rewared with an BEM in the new Year Honours list. Samera Ashraf is a police constable in Scotland and has a blue belt in karate and kickboxing. She hopes to inspire women to join Police Scotland. Sheneela Ahmed is a Criminal Lawyer Advocate and a Lawyer Football Agent. In 2014 she was crowned with Asian Woman Achievement Award 2014. She is also a Women of the Future (WOFT) Ambassador and received HSBC top 50 Women Global Award, Sonia Odedra is an Eglish cricketer who plays for Nottinghamshire, Lig

Didier Yves Drogba played for the Ivory Coast He was captain of the Cote d’Ivore national team. Excellent header of the ball. Eusebio da Silva Ferreira played for Portugal First black player to win the Balloon d’ Or (1965) Athletic, fast & agile Garrincha - Manuel Francisco dos Santos played for Brazil Garrincoho means 'people.‘s Joy’. His wife was singer Elza Soares George Manneh Oppong Weah played for Liberia For important matches wore red boots. Powerful header of the ball. Marta Vieira Silva (female) played for Brazil World’s best female. Scored almost a goal a game in internationals. Neymar da Silva Santos Junior plays for Brazil PSG paid a World record £200 million for him - a dribbler - a virtuoso Paul Pogba plays for France Changes hairstyle for big matches. Imitates a rapper when he scores. Pele - Edson Arantes do Nascimento played for Brazil The greatest player. Scored more than 1,000 goals in his career. Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima played for Brazil Always kept the ball a few centimetres from his feet. Samuel Eto’o Fils played for Cameroon He was naturally 2 footed Sources Wikipedia Fantastic Footballers by Jean-Michel Billioud

Those born earliest Viv Anderson born 1956 Ian Wright born 1963 November 3rd John Barnes born 1963 November 7th Des Waler born 1965 Paul Ince born 1967 David James born 1970 Sol Campbell born 1974 Emile Heskey born 1978 January 11th Rio Ferdinand born 1978 November 7th Ashley Cole born 1980 10 of England’s former black footballers

Thursday, 26th August 2021 Jaco van Gass, who was born in South Africa, has just won GB another gold medal. Jaco, a member of the British Armed Forces Parachute Regiment before he was seriously injured by a RPG (Rocket Propelled Granade)has just won the Men’s 3,000 Cycling Pursuit gold medal.

3 out of the 5 Paralympic athletes are current Paralympic champions. Claire Cashmore began competing in the Paralympic in 2004 in Athens. She won gold and silver in Rio in 2016 for swimming. In Tokyo 2021 she is running in the Paratriathlon. Ellie Challis is a swimmer. Aged 16 months she developed sepsis and meningitis. The disease ravaged her tiny body resultingin her having both legs amputated below the knee and both arms at the elbow. In 2012 she won bronze in the S3 50m backstroke in the Paralympics in London. She is the world record holder for SB2 50m backstroke . Hollie Beth Arnold is the reigning Paralympic F46 javelin thrower. In 2008, aged just 14, she was the youngest ever field event athlete. In 2018 she became the first ever javelin thrower to hold all 4 major titles in the same Paralympic/ Olympic 4 year cycle. Kylie Grimes has returned to her first love wheelchair rugby after a life changing spinal injury in 2006. Stef Reid, a long jumper, has won bronze at London 2012 and in Rio in 2016, but yet to win gold.

Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrikson was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Her parents were immigrants from Norway. She was the sixth of seven children. The family moved to 850 Doucette in Beaumont, Texas aged 4. Her mother called her ‘Bebe’ from a toddler. She was nicknamed Babe - after Babe Ruth - when she scored 5 home runs in a chidlhood baseball game. She left school without graduating and went on to become an American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, baseball, plus track and field. At the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics she set 4 world records. 80 metres hurdles -11.7 Javelin 43.69 metres - the first woman Olympic champion high jump 1.657 metres then 1,67 (same height as Jean Shiley who got the gold because Mildred used an improper technique). (Apparently she also twice broke the long jump record but the judges ruled them as fouls.) Mildred is the only athlete, male or female, to win individual Olympic medals in separate running, throwing and jumping events. In 1934 she tried Baseball . Mildred is still recognized as the world record holder for the farthest baseball thrown by a woman. She then became America’s first female golf celebrity and was the leading player of the 1940s and early 1950s. As an amateur and professional she won many golf tournaments. Serious illness ended her golfing career in the mid 1950s. Mildred was indeed a very talented sports woman. Sources Wikipedia Amazing Athletes by Jean-Michal Billioud

Madge was a figure skating champion. She participated in the Men’s category in 1902 because there was no women’s category . She came second smashing everyone’s expectations! Madge Syers was world figures-skating champion in 1906.and 1907. At the London Summer Games in 1908 she won the Olympic title in the ladies competition, and bronze, with her husband and trainer,Edgar. She is the only female skater to win both individual and pairs at the same Olympics. She always wore a hat when performing. She also took her ice-skates every where she went. Madge was the first to perform technically perfect jumps. She retired shortly after 1908, due to poor health, and wrote books about the art of figure skating 1920 was the last time figure-skating was included in the Summer Games. In 1924 it became part of the first Winter Olympic Games held in Chamonix, France. Sources used Wikipedia Amazing Athletes by Jean-Michel Billioud