Tanni Grey-Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE DL
Grey-Thompson in 2020
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 March 2010 Life peerage
Personal details
Born	Carys Davina Grey (1969-07-26) 26 July 1969 (age 56) Cardiff, Wales
Citizenship	British
Political party	None (crossbencher)
Spouse	Ian Thompson ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	1
Residences	Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England
Alma mater	Loughborough University
Occupation	Politician, athlete, TV personality
Nickname	Tanni Grey-Thompson
Tanni Grey-Thompson Sport Country  Great Britain  Wales Sport Wheelchair racing Disability Spina bifida Disability class T53 Retired 2007 Now coaching Jade Jones Medal record Representing  Great Britain Women's athletics Paralympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona 100 m Gold 1992 Barcelona 200 m Gold 1992 Barcelona 400 m Gold 1992 Barcelona 800 m Gold 1996 Atlanta 800 m Gold 2000 Sydney 100 m Gold 2000 Sydney 200 m Gold 2000 Sydney 400 m Gold 2000 Sydney 800 m Gold 2004 Athens 100 m Gold 2004 Athens 400 m Silver 1992 Barcelona 4 x 100 m Silver 1996 Atlanta 100 m Silver 1996 Atlanta 200 m Silver 1996 Atlanta 400 m Bronze 1988 Seoul 400 m World Championships Gold 1998 Birmingham 200m Gold 2006 Assen 200m Silver 1998 Birmingham 400m Silver 1998 Birmingham 800m Silver 2006 Assen 800m Bronze 2006 Assen 400m

Tanni Grey-Thompson, born Carys Davina Grey on July 26, 1969, is a famous Welsh athlete and a member of the House of Lords. She is best known as an amazing wheelchair racer who won many medals. After her sports career, she became a television presenter and works to help people with disabilities.

Tanni's Amazing Sports Career

Tanni Grey-Thompson started wheelchair racing when she was 13 years old. She first competed in the Paralympics for Wales at age 15. This was in 1984, at the Junior National Games. She won the National Junior title in her final year as a junior athlete.

Early International Success

Her international career began in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. There, she won a bronze medal in the 400m race. When she was a young athlete, she also played wheelchair basketball.

Paralympic Games Achievements

Tanni competed in five Paralympic Games in total. Her last Games were in Athens in 2004. She won two gold medals there in the 100m and 400m wheelchair races. Throughout her Paralympic career, she earned 16 medals. These included 11 gold, four silver, and one bronze. She also won 13 World Championship medals. Six of these were gold, five silver, and two bronze.

Retirement from Racing

On February 27, 2007, Tanni announced she would retire from racing. Her last race for Great Britain was in May 2007. This was at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester. During her career, she won 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 golds. She also set over 30 world records. Tanni won the London Marathon six times between 1992 and 2002.

Life After Sports

After retiring from racing in 2007, Tanni Grey-Thompson started a new career. She became a television presenter and took on many important advisory roles.

Working in Television

Tanni expanded her television work with BBC Wales and S4C. She also worked for BBC One. She reported on many sporting events for the BBC. At the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, she was a reporter for different sports. For the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, she joined the athletics team as a commentator.

Tanni was the first female wheelchair user to present a TV show. This was on BBC2's show From the Edge, which focused on disabled people. She has also presented other shows like BBC Wales X-ray. She worked for BBC Radio Wales and was a key commentator for the Paralympics. In February 2025, Tanni was a guest on the ITV show Loose Women.

Helping Others and Giving Advice

During her racing career, Tanni was part of many important groups. She served on boards like the National Disability Council. She also worked with UK Sport, which helps athletes. After retiring, she continued to help. She was on the board of the London Marathon and Transport for London. She now chairs the board of ukactive, which promotes physical activity.

Tanni supports many charities. She is a patron for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme. She also supports Zoe's Place Baby Hospice, which helps sick babies. She is a UNICEF Ambassador. Tanni is also the President of Sportsleaders UK. She helps the Tees Wheelyboats Club, which gives disabled people access to the River Tees.

In July 2011, Tanni became the President of the Leadership 20:20 Commission. This group looked at how to lead civil society in the future. She shared their ideas in Parliament in December 2011. Since July 2015, she has been the Chancellor of Northumbria University. In December 2021, she became the Chair of the North of Tyne Combined Authority's Inclusive Economy Board.

Tanni in Parliament

On March 23, 2010, Tanni Grey-Thompson became a life peer. This means she was given a special title and a seat in the House of Lords. She chose the title Baroness Grey-Thompson, of Eaglescliffe.

She was officially introduced to the House of Lords on March 29. She took her oath in both English and Welsh. She sits as a crossbencher, which means she doesn't belong to a specific political party. In August 2014, Tanni was one of many public figures who wrote a letter to The Guardian. They were against Scottish independence before the vote that year.

Awards and Recognition

Tanni Grey-Thompson has received many awards for her achievements. In 1993, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This was for her "services to Athletics for the Disabled." In 2000, she became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Then, in 2005, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). Both of these were for her "services to disabled sport."

She was named the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year three times. This happened in 1992, 2000, and 2004. In 2000, she came third in the main BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. She also received the Helen Rollason Award that year. In August 2009, she became a member of the Gorsedd at the National Eisteddfod in Bala.

Some schools have named houses after her. Willenhall School Sports College and Roundwood Park School both have a "Grey-Thompson house." In November 2012, she was part of a group that looked into the Lance Armstrong doping case. In February 2013, she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by BBC Radio 4. She was also recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women that year.

In June 2018, she was added to the Power Brands LIFE – Hall of Fame. In January 2019, she was considered for "Greatest Person of the 20th Century" in the BBC Icons series. On December 15, 2019, she received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.

University Degrees and Honors

Tanni has received many honorary degrees from universities. These include degrees from Oxford University, the University of Bath, Newcastle University, and Loughborough University. In May 2011, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award and another honorary doctorate from the University of East London. In July 2013, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Science. This was for her great work helping people with disabilities and promoting sports. On June 15, 2016, she was given a Doctor of Law degree by the University of Cambridge.

About Tanni's Life

Tanni Grey-Thompson has spina bifida, which means she uses a wheelchair. She was christened Carys Davina Grey. Her older sister, Sian, called her "tiny" when she was born, but it sounded like "tanni." The nickname stuck!

Tanni went to St Cyres Comprehensive School in Penarth, South Wales. In 1991, she graduated from Loughborough University. She earned a degree in Politics and Social Administration.

She is married to Ian Thompson, who is a research chemist and used to be a wheelchair athlete. They live in Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees. They have one daughter. Her book about her life, Seize the Day, was published in 2001.

Paralympic World Cup Medals

See also

In Spanish: Tanni Grey-Thompson para niños