Sarah Ayton facts for kids
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| Born | 9 April 1980 Ashford, Surrey, England |
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Sarah Lianne Ayton is a famous English sailor. She was born on April 9, 1980, in Ashford, Surrey, England. Sarah became a professional sailor and achieved great success in the sport.
She is best known for winning two gold medals at the Olympic Games. These wins made her one of Great Britain's top Olympic athletes.
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A Champion Sailor
Sarah Ayton competed in the Yngling sailing class. This is a type of keelboat used in competitive sailing. She showed amazing skill and teamwork in her races.
Olympic Gold Medals
Sarah won her first Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She was part of a team with Shirley Robertson and Sarah Webb. They worked together perfectly to win the Yngling class.
Four years later, Sarah won another gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. This time, her teammates were Pippa Wilson and Sarah Webb. Winning two Olympic golds is a huge achievement in any sport.
World and European Success
Besides her Olympic triumphs, Sarah also won several other major sailing titles. She became a World Champion in the Yngling class in 2007 and 2008. These wins proved her consistent excellence in the sport.
She also won a European Championship in the Yngling class in 2008. These victories show how dominant she was in her sailing class during her career.
Life Beyond Sailing
In 2011, Sarah Ayton decided to retire from competitive sailing. She made this choice because she wanted to focus on being a mother. It was a big decision, but her family was very important to her.
Special Awards
In 2015, Sarah received a very special award. She was named the Female World Sailor of the Year. This is the highest award a sailor can get for their amazing achievements.
Sarah has also received honors from the British government. She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2005. Later, in 2009, she was promoted to an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). These awards recognize her contributions to sport and her country.
Personal Life and Charity
Sarah Ayton has two sons, Thomas-Flynn and Oscar-Flynn George. She was previously married to windsurfer Nick Dempsey. In 2022, Sarah married Ashley Harris.
Sarah is also a patron for Meningitis UK, a charity that helps people affected by meningitis. This is a cause close to her heart because she battled meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia herself in 1995 when she was 14 years old. She often supports events to raise awareness for the charity.
Even after retiring from professional sailing, Sarah still loves sports. She enjoys amateur horse racing and stays active in the sporting world.
See also
In Spanish: Sarah Ayton para niños
