Sarah Stevenson Jennings MBE

Sarah Stevenson’s aim is to inspire you to harness the drive, focus and resilience required to reach your goals and achieve your ambitions. With a story which encourages perspective, is thought provoking and offers a real insight into how life can challenge you to the very core.

After an illustrious career in sport, Sarah is now a successful businesswoman, a renowned inspirational speaker and a mother to two young children. Her experiences as a world-beating athlete will unquestionably help to embolden and encourage all who seek to better themselves physically, mentally and emotionally.

The first ever Olympic medal in Taekwondo for Great Britain was won by Sarah in Beijing 2008, overcoming the extremely well documented controversy that led to Sarah being eliminated in the quarter finals after the referee failed to recognise clear points scored. The decision was later overturned but with only 10 minutes to prepare. Even after losing this match and injuring her ankle in the process, Sarah came back to win the bronze medal, the first ever medal for GB Taekwondo and became one of the most memorable athletes from the Beijing games.

10 years after her first World title, achieving 4 European and World medals in between, Sarah won her second World title, the first to ever achieve this. This tremendous achievement was made by Sarah while both her parents were suffering with cancer.

Sadly in 2011 these two amazing people were cruelly taken from her. Both taken ill with cancer, and both gone within months of diagnosis, it is hard for people to comprehend how difficult 2011 was for Sarah and to win the World Championships was a feat she never thought possible.

In 2012 Sarah was chosen to compete in the London Olympics and was also selected as the Oath Taker of the host nation, in the same year being honoured by her majesty Queen Elizabeth with an MBE. Representing all the athletes taking part in the Olympic Games, Sarah delivered the solemn promise during the Opening Ceremony in front of a sell-out home crowd and world-wide TV audience. It was a huge honour and proud moment that will stay with Sarah forever.