Clebrating women
As a packed sporting calendar kicks off with the London Marathon at the end of April, woman&home salutes some of the UK’s most inspiring women athletes
HELEN GLOVER
As a two-time Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion, Helen, 36, is considered one of Team GB’s greatest ever rowers. At London 2012, alongside rowing partner Heather Stanning, Helen set an Olympic record, won Team GB’s first gold medal of the games and became the first British woman to win an Olympic rowing gold.
SARAH STOREY
In 2021, Sarah, now 45, became Britain’s most successful Paralympian of all time when she won her 17th gold in the women’s C4-5 road race in Japan. The mum of two has taken home medals across two disciplines during her sporting career: cycling and swimming. With no plans to retire, we’ve no doubt there is more success coming Sarah’s way too.
NICOLA ADAMS
When Nicola, now 40, retired from boxing in 2019, she did so with an undefeated record, two Olympic golds and World and European titles to her name. She’s since competed on Strictly Come Dancing in the show’s first same-sex pairing, making history yet again.
LAURA KENNY
With six Olympic gold medals for cycling under her belt, Laura Kenny, 30, is not only the most successful female track cyclist in Olympic history, but also the most successful British female Olympian. Currently pregnant with her second child, we’re sure Laura will return to the track in the future.
KELLY SMITH
While there’s no doubt our Euro 2022 winners are legends of women’s football, former Arsenal striker Kelly, now 44, is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most talented female players. She bagged 46 goals in 117 caps for England during
DINA ASHER-SMITH
The fastest British woman to ever take to the track, sprinter Dina, 27, is still wowing crowds at athletics events. She’s won a hatful of World and European golds and silvers throughout her career, plus bronzes for the 4x100m relay at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. We’re hoping there’s an Olympic gold in Dina’s future too.
VIRGINIA WADE
The only British woman to have won titl
