You can find great British female sportspeople from the 1980s here. Here you'll find articles about Hannah Mills, Olympic gold medalist, BMX champion Laura Kenny and Great Britain's first transgender Olympic athlete. You will also find information about swimming, judo and tennis for women.
Beth Shriever, BMX gold Medalist
Beth Shriever is a British BMX Gold medalist. The BMX rider won gold in the women's race in Tokyo. Her success was not an easy feat and took a while to achieve. She began her journey with a borrowed bike and a second-hand kit. Eventually, she became a household name in Britain.
Shriever won the semi-finals in all three races, and almost took the lead from the start. In the final, Mariana Pajon from Colombia was able to hold off Shriever and take gold. Whyte was also awarded a silver in the BMX-racing event. Both Shriever, and Whyte come from Britain.
Laura Kenny is a BMX champion
Former BMX champion Laura Kenny is returning to the track for the 2020 UCI World Track Championships in Berlin. After two serious crashes at the velodrome, she had considered quitting competition. Her first crash occurred during a tempo race at the Milton World Cup in February. She broke her shoulder and arm in the fall, but resisted the urge to retire. Her arm was broken in another crash the following month during a scratch-race. The injury was not diagnosed until she returned home.
Kenny has five Olympic Medals to her credit, including two Golds. She was also awarded silver in team pursuit. This makes her one the most decorated Olympians of British history. She was also the first British woman ever to win a medal at three consecutive games.
Olympic gold medalists Hannah Mills (left) and Charlotte Worthington (right)
The Olympic gold medalists, both from Cardiff in Wales, are keen environmentalists. Mills, who is a member Welsh national sailing crew, rose through the ranks of Great Britain to win a string o junior titles in both solo and crewed events. Mills attended Howell's School, Llandaff, and she was the first girl ever to win the Optimist Girls' International Championship. She was also the first female to win a British national title. Mills was a great swimmer and has now decided to forgo her third year in mechanical engineering so she can take this chance.
Mills and Worthington had been recuperating from injuries and illnesses sustained after the London Olympics. After a brief break, the two decided to return to the Olympic cycle. Clark recovered from pneumonia and the team lost their coach Joe Glanfield, but the pair were back in the water and claiming the gold medal. The two were congratulated and celebrated on the beach, but it wasn't all smooth sailing. Mills was hospitalized with a concussion in Jan and stomach problems March.
Great Britain's first transgender athlete
Transgender people are becoming more well-known in the UK and there are many events to improve their lives. The 1980s marked several significant events for the trans community. Philippa York, an accomplished cyclist, became transgender. The International Transgender Conference took place at the University of East Anglia. It is now a biennial conference. Stephen Whittle published Engendered Punishments, which was a book that Lewis Turner and Stephen Whittle published. It was designed to include trans people within the new Commission on Equalities. Kele Telsford's death in her home was another memorable event in 1980s. Laverne Copx was the first transgender models to appear on a British Vogue Cover.
British women's sport has long criticized transgender competitors. The inclusion transgender women in women's sport has led to wide-ranging discussion about their unfair physical advantages. British female Olympians were also critical of the inclusion. However, transgender women have continued to compete in women's sports despite all the controversy and criticism.