Inspirational canoeist is awarded OBE at castle
Royal Borough: ‘Extremely special’ says Paralympian Jeannette Chippington
Paralympian Jeanette Chippington has described the ‘extremely special moment’ which saw her receive an OBE for services to canoeing.
The 52-year-old is regarded as one of Maidenhead’s most successful athletes having represented Great Britain at seven Paralympic games.
Her distinguished career has seen her rack up 14 Paralympic medals in both the swimming pool and on the water in para-canoeing.
She was named in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List and received her OBE during a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
Jeanette told the Advertiser: “In the past I’ve won various medals but this was different.
“It’s just that recognition of all you’ve done so it really was an extremely special moment.”
Jeanette took up swimming as part of her recovery from a virus which left her paralysed in both legs.
Her sporting career has spanned more than three decades since her Paralympic debut in the pool at Seoul, South Korea, in 1988.
In 2016, she became a trailblazer as she competed in the first para-canoeing race to be held at a Paralympic Games.
The former Newlands Girls' School pupil secured a bronze medal in the VL2 class at the Tokyo Paralympics last year and the Maidenhead athlete has not closed the door on a potential appearance in Paris in 2024.
She added: “At my first ever games in Seoul the standard was really high. It wasn’t easy. If it was easy, all through my career it would have been golds.
“When I first started, there was a swimmer, Denise Smith, and all I kept thinking was ‘can I beat her?’
“She was my role model and I kind of think if anyone out there looks at myself and thinks ‘if she can do it’ that would be fantastic.”
Jeanette’s husband Stewart and children Ben and Ria joined her at Windsor Castle as she received her special recognition from Princess Anne.