Famous Brit of the Week

Today, Miss Atkinson led her Famous Brits assembly on Baronness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who was born with spina bifida and is a wheelchair user. She is one of the most successful disabled athletes in the UK. She graduated from Loughborough University in 1991 with a BA (Hons) degree in Politics and Social Administration.

She was christened Carys Davina Grey, but her sister referred to her as "tiny" when she first saw her, pronouncing it "tanni"; the nickname stuck.

Grey-Thompson's Paralympic career started in the 100m at the Junior National Games for Wales in 1984.Her international career began in 1988 in Seoul, where she won a bronze medal in the 400m. As a young athlete she also competed in wheelchair basketball. Her fifth and last Paralympic Games were in Athens (2004) where she won two gold medals in wheelchair racing in the 100m and 400m. In total in her Paralympic career she won 16 medals (11 gold, four silver and a bronze) [5] and also 13 World Championship medals (six gold, five silver and two bronze).

On 27th February 2007 Grey-Thompson announced her pending retirement, with her last appearance for Great Britain at May's Paralympic World Cup in Manchester. Over her career she won a total of 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 golds, held over 30 world records and won the London Marathon six times between 1992 and 2002.On 23rd March 2010, Grey-Thompson was created a Life Peer. Her title was conferred as Baroness Grey-Thompson, of Eaglescliffe in the County of Durham.