Sophie Christiansen

Sophie Christiansen was a London 2012 triple gold medallist.

Sophie joined the British para dressage team in Normandy at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) 2014 and won team gold and individual silver and gold.

27-year-old Sophie was inspired to start riding after a school trip to her local RDA centre, aged six. Her first major international success came at the 2004 Athens Olympics where she won an individual bronze medal. Sophie has since gone on to win three gold medals and one silver medal at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, she is also reigning European team, individual and freestyle champion. Sophie won team gold, individual gold and freestyle silver at the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

A grade 1A athlete, Sophie has cerebral palsy, which affects all her muscles including her speech. She is one of the few British grade Ia riders who is not wheelchair-bound; however she does use an electric scooter to get about as she cannot walk long distances.

Sophie was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list for services to disabled sport and an OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours list. As well as becoming a triple gold Paralmypic medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, 2012 also saw Sophie achieve her Masters degree in Maths from Royal Holloway University.

Sophie has been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2015 European para dressage Championships in Deauville. Here she will ride Diane Redfern’s eight-year-old Athene Lindebjerg.