It’s August 2024 and this week, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games begins.

The Paralympics, as we commonly know them, have their roots in the Stoke Mandeville Games, first held in 1948, when only wheelchair athletes competed.

In 1960, they were renamed as the Paralympic Games, and in 1976, para-athletes besides wheelchair users were allowed to compete for the first time.

My guest today was one of those. And she didn’t just compete – she cleaned up.

Monica Vaughan represented Great Britain in swimming at two Paralympics.

Five Gold medals in Toronto in ’76 were followed by four more plus a Silver in Arnhem in Germany in 1980.

By the way, thank you to Stylist Magazine for naming us as one of the best podcasts about women in sport.

"From Stoke Mandeville to Stratford" - A History of the Summer Paralympic Games by Ian Brittain

Toronto 1976

Monica Vaughan profile National Paralympic Heritage Trust

****

Women in Sport was founded in 1984 and its vision is that no-one is excluded from the joy, fulfilment and lifelong benefits of sport and exercise.

Recognising that gender stereotypes and institutional bias are holding women back in life and in sport, the charity’s purpose is to give every woman and girl the opportunity to take part and inspire her to do so.

DONATE and support our work here

Find out more about us here

Instagram – Instagram.com/womeninsport_uk

X – x.com/womeninsport_uk

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/women-in-sport

TikTok – tiktok.com/@womeninsport

Thank you to Whistledown Productions for the technical help and use of the studio to record this podcast.

Edited and mixed by Steven George

Music: Luna Cantina - A Huevo