Dame Sarah Storey calls time on competitive career
Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey has won 19 gold medals across nine Paralympic Games during a career that has spanned more than three decades and two sports. 09 Jul 2026
Dame Sarah Storey has announced that she is stepping away from international competition, bringing to a close one of the most remarkable careers in Paralympic sport.
Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian, Storey has won 19 gold medals across nine Paralympic Games during a career that has spanned more than three decades and two sports.
She says her focus will now shift towards helping increase visibility and opportunities for Para athletes.
“I am so privileged to have spent 35 years as an international athlete. I genuinely pinch myself that my childhood dream of being an athlete for as long as I possibly could has led to nine Paralympic Games and opportunities across so many sporting events,” she said in a statement.
“This has included women’s and Para sport alike, and I feel so proud to have contributed – alongside so many incredible people – to the progress we’ve all witnessed and enjoyed in that time.”
A Legend of Para Sport Retires | The Story of Sarah Storey 🚴🏊♀️
Celebrating a storied career
Storey burst onto the Paralympic stage as a 14-year-old swimmer at Barcelona 1992, winning two gold and three silver medals on her debut.
She quickly established herself as one of the biggest stars of Para swimming. Across four Paralympic Games, she amassed 16 medals, including a standout performance at Atlanta 1996, where she claimed three golds, a silver and a bronze.
A switch to Para cycling ahead of Beijing 2008 marked the start of another successful chapter. She earned two gold medals and proved she could thrive at the highest level in a second sport.
Her dominance continued at London 2012, where she delighted home fans with four Paralympic titles before adding further gold medals at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. In Tokyo, she overtook Mike Kenny to become Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian.
Making an impact beyond competition
Away from competition, Storey has also been an advocate for Paralympic sport. Earlier this year, she joined Channel 4’s presenting team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, helping to tell the stories of Paralympic athletes.
Now, with two years to go until the LA28 Paralympic Games, Storey has decided the time is right to step away from international competition and focus on creating change beyond the track.
“Physically, I fully believe that I could be on that start line in Los Angeles, confident of defending my two titles from Paris. However, I believe I can now be a more positive influence leveraging new roles and opportunities that allow me to fight for Para sport, and the coverage that it deserves.
“I fully believe that I can have a greater impact off my bike, rather than chasing a 10th Games and possibly further titles,” she said.
“I’m excited to be part of a future where we inject the momentum that is needed to ensure the future is bright for all Para athletes.”
