Desert Island Discs

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BBC Radio 4 FM

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Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

BBC Radio 4 LW

Desert Island Discs: Dame Sarah Storey, athlete

Dame Sarah Storey, athlete

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Dame Sarah Storey, athlete

Dame Sarah Storey, athlete, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.

Dame Sarah Storey, athlete, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

Dame Sarah Storey is Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian, winning 17 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals. She was just 14 when she took two weeks off school to compete as a swimmer in the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics, where she won her first two gold medals. Since then, she has competed in a further seven Paralympics, switching to cycling from 2005. 

A TV documentary inspired Sarah's childhood ambition to take part in the Paralympics, even though her swimming club coach told her that it was too late - at the age of 10 - to start training for an elite career. 

After competing in four Paralympics in the pool, she decided to try cycling after persistent ear infections and chronic fatigue. She was immediately successful and has continued to win medals at both the Paralympics and World Championships in numerous events, breaking many world records. She is supported on and off the track by her husband, Barney Storey, who is also a gold medal-winning cyclist. They have two children, who were born in 2013 and 2017. 

Sarah is the Active Travel Commissioner in her home city of Manchester, and is still training with the aim of competing in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris – which would be her ninth games, at the age of 46. 

DISC ONE: Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
DISC TWO: Spinning Around – Kylie Minogue 
DISC THREE: It Only Takes a Minute - Take That 
DISC FOUR: A Different Beat - Boyzone 
DISC FIVE: This is the One - The Stone Roses
DISC SIX: Heroes - David Bowie
DISC SEVEN: Wannabe - Spice Girls 
DISC EIGHT: Step On – Happy Mondays

BOOK CHOICE: The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters  
LUXURY ITEM: A snorkel and mask   
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

Presenter  Lauren Laverne
Producer   Sarah Taylor

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Desert Island Discs

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