Dame Sarah Storey Lights the Stoke Mandeville Flame Continuing the Paralympic Legacy

At the flame lighting and collection ceremony held in Stoke Mandeville, Dame Sarah Storey appeared in a striking emerald outfit, radiating energy and presence. She was once a legendary cyclist dominating the Summer Paralympic Games, with 19 gold medals and 30 medals in total. After retiring, she transitioned into broadcasting, becoming a poised and professional commentator for Channel 4. From the Paris Paralympic cycle onward, we have closely followed her journey — her name “Storey,” a playful homonym for “story,” once inspired the headline “She is a Woman with a Story,” tailor-made for her. With this ceremony concluded and the first face-to-face interaction between both parties, her presence and voice were as captivating as ever.

When asked when she truly felt a major turning point in the Paralympic Movement, Storey’s answer was clear and resolute — 1992.

In her view, that year marked the true beginning of the modern Paralympic era. Before 1992, impressions of the Paralympics were still fragmented. Seoul had hosted the Games alongside the Olympics for the first time, yet earlier events were still divided between New York and Stoke Mandeville, and the overall structure had yet to take shape.

The real “new era” began around 1990 with the introduction of classification systems, particularly refined and standardized in swimming, making competitions more scientific and fair. By 1992, large-scale venues were in use, audience sizes expanded, and television coverage was rolled out for the first time — from then on, the Paralympic Movement surged like converging rivers, with influence and visibility increasing steadily.

Her tone was calm, yet the emotion of a firsthand witness could not be hidden: “Since then, the Paralympic Movement has continued to grow and develop, and we have been very fortunate to be part of it.”

When the conversation turned to her change in role, the former champion’s expression softened. For her, standing on stage today as a presenter is a highly meaningful honor. Throughout the years, she has always advanced alongside her sport in various ways; hosting such an important ceremony is, for her, both a rare opportunity and a genuine pleasure.

Under the sunlight, she seemed to be telling a moving story, unfolding it with ease — and her own story continues to be written…