Would you like to support an inspirational Team GB athlete who is going for gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games? Her name is Sophia Warner and she is living proof that, as she says, “If you put your mind to anything you can have anything you want.”
Please watch a short feature on BBC South East Today about her here
36 year-old mum of two young children, Sophia, who was born in Dorking, Surrey, and now lives in Hove, West Sussex, has Cerebral Palsy, a life-long condition that affects motor control. Her events are the T35 100m and 200m and she is currently ranked number one in Europe and number two in the World.
As well as working 40 hours a week as a marketing manager, she spends 21 hours across 6 days a week training with the Worthing Harriers and at Lee Valley Athletics Centre in north London and this dedication was recognised last year when she was awarded ‘Disabled Sports Personality of the Year’ at the Sussex Sports Awards.
Recently, Sophia travelled to New Zealand as part of Team GB to take part in the IPC Athletics World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the T35 100m, setting a new European record, and a silver in the T35 200m, breaking her previous personal best by over 2 seconds. She is one of 43 Paralympic athletes on the UK Athletics World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) which supports elite athletes in their preparation for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Having seen her speaking recently at a pre-Olympic business event in Surrey, I know that Sophia would be a great motivational speaker in front of staff and an enthusiastic company ambassador to business partners. She is articulate, funny and, most importantly, brings a message that positive thinking leads to positive outcomes. If you would like to get involved with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in a very personal way, then this could be it.
If you would like to meet her, to see if there is any way you can help this remarkable woman in her quest for gold in 2012, then please get in touch. Sophia is looking for financial sponsorship, but also any other relevant support that you feel you can give.