Former Paralympic long jumper and sprinter Stef has had a lifelong passion for sport. She is a five-time world record holder, but away from the track she also has a degree in biochemistry, was a finalist on Celebrity MasterChef, and made her modelling debut fronting Debenhams’ Diversity Campaign, which aimed to challenge the perceived norms of the fashion industry.
Stef Reid is a British Paralympic long jumper and sprinter. She is a world champion, four-time Paralympian, triple Paralympic medallist, and five-time world record holder. Stef has an honours degree in biochemistry, and away from the track works as a professional speaker, media broadcaster, executive coach, actor, and fashion model. She competed in the Tokyo Paralympics and took part in Dancing on Ice, making it to the quarter finals and showing the world you can learn to skate with an artificial foot.
Stef was born in New Zealand to a Scottish father and English mother, grew up in Toronto, and moved to Dallas, Texas with her Canadian husband before settling back in the UK. Her talent and passion for sport were spotted early. At twelve she was already dreaming of playing rugby on the world stage. But at fifteen, Stef was involved in a boating accident and suffered severe propeller lacerations. Her life was saved but her right foot was damaged beyond repair and amputated.
Stef’s focus shifted from sports to her studies, and she graduated as valedictorian earning a full academic scholarship to Queen’s University in Canada to study biochemistry. While at Queen’s, Stef joined the university athletics team to see how fast she could still run. Upon graduation, she put her plans of medical school on hold and decided to give her childhood dream of being a professional athlete one last chance. After a glittering eighteen-year Paralympic career, Stef announced her retirement from elite sport and is enjoying the challenge of a new adventure.
In her speeches Stef inspires and challenges audiences through her messages of resilience, perseverance, and adopting a growth mindset.
© Copyright 2024 JLA. All rights reserved.
Please join us at 87 Barts Close at 08:30am on Tuesday 30th April for our next speaker’s breakfast event. Following our sell-out event for IWD back in February, we will be joined by three fantastic speakers for an exploration of the uses, myths and concerns surrounding AI.
87 Barts Close, 87 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7EB
We were joined by four fantastic speakers to look ahead at International Women’s Day. With the theme of this year’s event being #InspireInclusion, we were lucky enough to hear from four women who have each blazed a trail in their respective fields: CEO of Channel 4, Alex Mahon; the former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of Kings’ Global Institute of Women’s Leadership, Julia Gillard; one of the leading voices in football, Eniola Aluko MBE; and broadcaster and journalist, Samira Ahmed.
Bishopsgate Institute, London
