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 55) 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 TV presenter. She used to be a champion wheelchair racer. Now, she is also a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.

Tanni's Amazing Sports Career

Tanni Grey-Thompson started her Paralympic journey in 1984. She competed in the 100m race at the Junior National Games for Wales.

First International Race

Her first big international race was in 1988 in Seoul. There, she won a bronze medal in the 400m race. When she was younger, she also played wheelchair basketball.

Paralympic Games Success

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.

In her whole Paralympic career, she won 16 medals:

• 11 gold medals
• 4 silver medals
• 1 bronze medal

She also won 13 medals at the World Championships:

• 6 gold medals
• 5 silver medals
• 2 bronze medals

Retirement from Racing

On February 27, 2007, Tanni announced she would stop racing. Her last race for Great Britain was in May 2007 at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.

Over her career, she achieved incredible things:

• 16 Paralympic medals (11 gold)
• Over 30 world records
• Six wins at the London Marathon between 1992 and 2002

Life After Racing

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

Working in Television

Tanni began working more in television in 2007. She presented shows on BBC Wales and S4C, as well as BBC One.

• She was the first female wheelchair user to present a TV show. This was on BBC2's From the Edge, a show for disabled people.
• She also presented BBC Wales shows like X-ray and Big Welsh Challenge.
• Tanni worked for BBC Radio Wales and Five Live.
• She was a key commentator for the BBC at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008 and other Paralympic Games.

Helping Others and Giving Advice

Tanni has used her experience to help many organizations. She has been on the boards of several important groups.

• She was on the board of the London Marathon from 2007 to 2018.
• She also served on the board of Transport for London from 2008 to 2018.
• Currently, she is on the London Legacy Development Corporation board.
• She leads the board of ukactive, which promotes active lifestyles.

Tanni supports many charities as a patron. These include:

• The Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme
• The Wembley Stadium Legacy Trust
• Zoe's Place Baby Hospice, which helps sick babies.

She is also a UNICEF Ambassador. She helps the Laureus World Sport Academy, which uses sport to make positive changes. Tanni is also a Council member for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

She is the Patron of the Tees Wheelyboats Club. This group helps disabled people use the River Tees.

In 2015, Tanni became the Chancellor of Northumbria University. This is a very important role at the university.

Tanni's Role 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.

Joining the House of Lords

She officially joined the House of Lords on March 29, 2010. She took her oath in both English and Welsh. In the House of Lords, she sits as a crossbencher. This means she does not belong to any political party.

Speaking Out on Important Issues

In August 2014, Tanni was one of 200 public figures. They signed a letter to The Guardian newspaper. The letter was against Scottish independence before the 2014 vote.

Awards and Recognitions

Tanni Grey-Thompson has received many awards and honors for her achievements.

Royal Honors

• In 1993, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
• In 2000, she became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
• In 2005, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).

These honors were for her great "services to disabled sport."

Sports Awards

• She was named the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year three times: in 1992, 2000, and 2004.
• In 2000, she came third in the main BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
• She received the Helen Rollason Award in 2000 for her performance at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.
• On December 15, 2019, she received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other Recognitions

• In August 2009, she became a member of the Gorsedd. This is a special group of Welsh cultural figures.
• Some schools have named houses after her, like Willenhall School Sports College.
• In February 2013, she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
• In June 2018, she was added to the Power Brands LIFE – Hall of Fame.

Honorary Degrees

Tanni has received many honorary degrees from universities. These degrees recognize her amazing contributions. Some of the universities that have honored her include:

• Oxford University
• University of Bath
• Newcastle University
• Loughborough University
• Cardiff University
• University of Cambridge (Doctor of Law in 2016)

Tanni's Personal Life

Tanni Grey-Thompson has spina bifida, which means she uses a wheelchair. Her birth name was Carys Davina Grey. Her older sister, Sian, called her "tiny" when she was a baby, but it sounded like "tanni," and the nickname stuck!

Tanni went to St Cyres Comprehensive School in Wales. She later studied Politics and Social Administration at Loughborough University, graduating in 1991.

She is married to Ian Thompson, who is a scientist and used to be a wheelchair athlete too. They live in Eaglescliffe and have one daughter.

Her autobiography, Seize the Day, was published in 2001.

Paralympic World Cup Medals

See also

In Spanish: Tanni Grey-Thompson para niños