Sophie Unwin

Last updated

Sophie Unwin
Personal information
Born (1994-07-23) 23 July 1994 (age 29)
Team information
DisciplineTrack, Road
Medal record
Women's para cycling
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Paralympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2020 Tokyo Road Race B
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2020 Tokyo Ind. pursuit B
Road World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2021 Cascais Tandem time trial B
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Baie-Comeau Tandem time trial B
Track World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Tandem pursuit B
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Glasgow Tandem time trial B
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2023 GlasgowTandem pursuit B
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2022 Saint-Quentin-en-YvelinesTandem time trial B

Sophie Unwin (born 23 July 1994) is an English racing cyclist who competes in para-cycling tandem road and track events as a visually impaired athlete. She made her maiden Paralympic appearance representing Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Career

Sophie began paracycling after attending an open talent event in August 2020. [1] She won the bronze medal in the individual pursuit at the 2020 Summer Paralympics alongside Jenny Holl. She also partnered with Holl to claim silver in the women's road race B event during the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

They won the gold medal in the tandem B time trial at the 2021 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships. [2]

She represented England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and competed in the women's tandem event. She finished third in the competition however, no bronze medal was awarded as the minimum five entries did not compete, after a late withdrawal from the fifth entered team. [3] This prompted Unwin to protest against the decision to not award her a bronze medal despite finishing third. [4] She along with her pilot Georgia Holt attempted to stand behind the podium ceremony with the flag of England before being escorted/moved by a security staff member and as a result Unwin was subsequently fined for breaching the code of conduct and she left the scene with tears. [5] [6]

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References

  1. "Cycling Track: UNWIN Sophie". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  2. "Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl: the duo taking the tandem racing scene by storm". rouleur.cc. 21 June 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  3. Media, P. A. (30 July 2022). "Sophie Unwin receives apology but no medal after third-place tandem finish". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. "Commonwealth Games: Sophie Unwin left in tears after not being awarded bronze medal despite third-place finish". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. Parker, Ian (29 July 2022). "Sophie Unwin left in tears after not getting a bronze medal for finishing third". Yahoo.com . Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  6. "Para-cyclist cops fresh blow over podium protest against bronze decision". 7NEWS. 31 July 2022. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.