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No Triumph, No Tragedy

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Factual: Life Stories

Factual: Disability

Peter White talks to disabled people who have achieved outstanding success in their field

Peter White talks to disabled people who have bucked the odds and achieved outstanding success in a variety of fields

No Triumph, No Tragedy: Sophie Christiansen

22/04/2014

Sophie Christiansen

BBC Radio 4 - No Triumph, No Tragedy, Sophie Christiansen

Peter White meets 2012 Paralympian triple gold medallist, horse rider Sophie Christiansen.

Peter White meets Sophie Christiansen, triple gold Paralympic medallist at the London 2012 Games, and talks about her cerebral palsy how she is trying to challenge attitudes.

In this programme Peter meets Sophie Christiansen, who became a triple gold Paralympic medallist at the London 2012 Games and talks about her cerebral palsy how she is using her fame to help challenge attitudes around disability:

"We should use the Games as a platform to speak about disability as the public love the Paralympics and sport but don't always understand what life as a disabled person can be like. Whenever anyone tells me I'm doing a good job at that, it means I'm doing the right thing."

Sophie was introduced to horse riding on a school trip when she was just six years old - eventually discovering a love of speed riding which frequently saw her Dad running alongside her ready to catch her should she fall. Her first major international competition came ten years later - the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, where, riding Hotstuff, she won an individual bronze medal. That same year, she was also voted BBC London Disabled Athlete of the Year.

Sophie was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list for services to disabled sport and an OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours list.As well as becoming a triple gold Paralympic medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, 2012 also saw Sophie achieve her Masters degree in Maths from Royal Holloway University

Peter White explores her motivation, experiences and even her love life as the two chat about life after the Paralympics and the impact the Games have had.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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