SOPHIE MISSES GAMES
HEARTBREAK FOR PARALYMPIAN
LOOKING AHEAD:
WOKINGHAM’S eight gold medal winning Paralympian has had to withdraw from the Tokyo games.
Sophie Christiansen, 33, as a child went to All Saints Primary School, Wokingham, said that she was “absolutely heartbroken” to announce that she and her horse
Louie would not take part.
She said: “There’s always that risk with equestrian sport, and unfortunately it was decided Louie wouldn’t have been able to give his best due to a minor veterinary issue.”
And she added: “I am truly gutted also for my team that worked tirelessly to get me selected and everyone who helped me fundraise and donated.”
While at All Saints, then Whitelocke Infants and
Palmer Juniors, visiting physiotherapists took Sophie, who has cerebral palsy, to Riding for the Disabled at Warfield. She says riding gave her new freedom.
Sophie also loved playing football with the boys at break time. The school let her get on
with her love of sport.
As she hasn’t gone to Tokyo, she’s free to appear on Channel 4 television’s Paralympics coverage today (Thursday) – available by visiting https:// paralympics.channel4.com. Sophie is on the breakfast show this morning and on the light hearted The Last Leg show this evening.
The British Paralympics team leader Penny Briscoe said Sophie was an “incredible athlete, ambassador and advocate for the Paralympic movement.”
Despite the Tokyo setback, Sophie, who lives with her boyfriend Peter at Farnborough, already has her mind set on the next games. They would be her fifth.