Lords of the Rings

Manchester United fans are no strangers to success with their beloved team setting the benchmark of football excellence over the last two-and-a-half decades. But there are few who sit amongst us on matchdays whose own personal sporting triumphs can match those of the mighty Reds.

Great Britain’s most decorated Paralympian, Sarah Storey, winner of 11 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals spanning six Paralympic Games, along with her husband, Barney, himself a winner of three Paralimpic golds and a silver, are Stretford End season ticket holders and kindly agreed to an exclsuve interview with Rollin’ Reds.

But first we caught up with Charlotte Henshaw, another United fan and London 2012 medallist whose rise to stardom continues. Following on from a collection of gold and silver medals at recent British, European and World championships she was selected for the summer games only to be pipped for the gold by the narrowest of margins.

Charlotte Henshaw

RR: Congratulations on the silver medal; it was such an exciting race, but how do you feel about missing out on gold by an almost unmeasurable 0.03 seconds?

Thank you! I felt really happy to finally win a Paralympic medal. I have a medal from both the European and World Championships but my collection was missing that Paralympic medal. Yes, it is annoying to have just been pipped to the gold but a silver medal at the biggest competition in my career is nothing to be disappointed with. I also need to remember that six months before the Games I was diagnosed with a chronic fatigue illness and missed out on qualifying. Thankfully, our Performance Director took the chance to take me to the Games and I’m glad I could repay him by adding to our medal tally!

RR: You finished fourth in Beijing in 2008, won silver at London 2012, is it going to be gold in Rio in 2016?

That would certainly be wonderful and I’m definitely setting my sights on competing in Rio. The disability swimming world is moving on in massive steps so it will take some hard work to stay at the top for another four years but it is a challenge I’m willing to accept. I’m back in hard training now after a break from the pool following the London Games so my road to Rio has already started.

RR: Did you get up to anything exciting during your post-grames break?

I had a holiday to New York in the week that Hurricane Sandy hit so that was pretty eventful. Now I’m back in training and working towards our World Championships trials in Easter.

RR: Britain’s most successful female Paralympian, Sarah Storey, started as a swimmer and moved to cycling. Are there any other Paralympic sports you fancy?

I’d love to have a go at running on blades. As a double amputee I’ve always found it quite tough to run on my everyday artificial limbs so I’d love to have a go on some blades to see how much easier it would be. I’ve also been asked if I’d ever consider having a go at kayaking and canoeing which both sound like fun sports to have a go at.

RR: You have a degree in sports psychology — did you put it to use to help motivate any of your Paralympic GB team mates?

I wouldn’t like to dish my advice out to my team mates but I do try to use some of my psychological knowledge in order to support people as best I can as a friend during stressful times, like during the Games. I do find sports psychology useful, though. I had a great few sessions with my psychologist in the lead up to the Games in London and I really think that helped me deal with the pressure of performing in front of a home crowd.

RR: How’s your professional career going — are you actually working alongside your sporting career?

I’m fortunate enough to be able to be a full time athlete — the funding I get from the National Lottery and UK Sport allows me to do that which is really important when you’re working towards international competitions. It lets me focus on my sport. I’m really lucky to be able to do my sport as my job. I go into lots of schools, do public speaking and work with the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust as well, which is all part of my job as a full time athlete.

RR: Who were the most famous people you met at London 2012 and what are your best memories?

It’s been really brilliant that after London 2012 we’ve been able to do lots of events as the Great Britain team as a whole, so all the Paralympians and Olympians have been together. It was pretty cool to meet Mo Farah at the Heroes Parade in London. I also got to meet my sporting idols, Torvill and Dean, that was pretty amazing!

RR: You were in Glasgow recently to film Celebrity Eggheads, without giving too much away, what was it like, how did you do and when is it on TV?

It was brilliant. I love quizzes and have always fancied having a go at a TV quiz so when I got the opportunity to go on a Paralympic Celebrity Eggheads to play for charity, I jumped at the chance. It was really cool to see how they filmed it — very different from on the television. We did pretty well. We certainly walked away with our heads held high. Did we beat the Eggheads? You’ll have to tune in just before Christmas to find out!

RR: Back in October, the Queen held a reception at Buckingham Palace for the London 2012 medallists. What was that like and did you see any corgis?

We didn’t see any Corgis, unfortunately. I think they were probably kept hidden away so they didn’t cause too much mischief. We did get to meet The Queen though. I’d met her twice before but I still got really nervous when we saw her make her way up the line of people. Lots of the Royal Family were there but I think most of us were excited to meet the Duchess of Cambridge, she was definitely the most popular Royal there that night. She was lovely and spent lots of time with us which definitely made a great evening very special.

RR: With your training schedule you must be busy — have you managed to get to Old Trafford yet this season and how do you think the team are doing?

I was so busy after the Games and we tend to have lots of events at the weekend so getting to Old Trafford is quite hard at the moment but I did manage to get to the West Ham game at the end of November. It had been about seven months since I’d last been able to be at a match so it felt amazing to be back singing along with everyone down in the Stretford End. I think the season has got off to a great start, although, the Christmas and New Year period always proves to be crucial for us so we have to push on into 2013.

Where do you normally watch the games and what do you think of the new signings?

It depends where I am. The beauty of twitter — I’m a huge twitter fan — is that I can keep up to date with live scores wherever I am in the world so even if I can’t watch I can keep up to date with what’s happening, which is great. There are a few United fans on the team so we keep each other updated across the dining room if we’re at a training camp. I think the new signings have been pretty effective and I think Van Persie has started to prove a lot of his doubters wrong. I heard a lot of sniping when he signed for United that he’d had one good season at Arsenal last year and that he was too old to replicate it for the Reds. I hope his goal tally so far has started to change their minds.

Sarah Storey

RR: So far, you’ve competed at six Paralympic games, winning 11 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals. Is Ryan Giggs’ career an inspiration to you and how long do you think you can carry on at the top level?

Yes, of course, Ryan is an inspiration. It is always fantastic to see an athlete who has been able to continue their career beyond the point where most others would have retired. I guess I am in that category now and admire Ryan’s drive to continue to play at the highest level, I can certainly identify with that!

RR: Your first five golds and all your silver and bronze medals came from swimming. What made you switch to cycling and how easy was the transition?

I started cycling as a cross training tool during a series of ear infections and ended up getting hooked on it. I went back to swimming after my ears were better but then decided that it would be good to try a new sport and see whether I could be any good at it. The transition was tough because cycling has so many technical elements, but it was fun to learn a new sport.

RR: You compete against able-bodied cyclists and often beat them — does that give you an extra buzz?

I have always done this from being a young child but, to me, sport is sport so it doesn’t really matter who the opposition is.

RR: How did you feel about being dropped from the London 2012 team pursuit squad?

I felt excited because I was able to concentrate on the tough task of winning four gold medals in the Paralympics.

RR: You appeared on Celebrity Mastermind with Sex & The City as your specialist subject. Do you liken yourself to any of the characters and, if so, why?

No, it was just a bit of fun.

RR: Back on October, the Queen held a reception at Buckingham Palace for the London 2012 medallists — what was it like to meet her?

Meeting the Queen and other members of the Royal Family is always an incredible honour and we were delighted to have been asked to go back there. We were fortunate to  meet her after the Beijing Games as well and the support and pride of the Royal Family in our sports teams is fantastic.

Barney Storey

RR: You’ve competed at three Paralympic games now, winning three golds and a silver as a sighted pilot. Could you explain that and tell us how you got involved?

A sighted pilot is exactly that — a tandem bike pilot who has their eyesight. I pilot a visually impaired rider who wouldn’t be able to compete in cycling without the support of a pilot. We work equally on the bike and it is important we are synchronised so that the bike goes as fast as possible. I got involved in 2001 when the previous pilot decided to go on to different challenges. He suggested I try it out and I loved it, so have been a specialist in that area ever since.

RR: You’ve been type-one diabetic since the age of four — how does that affect you in terms of training and diet?

I have to ensure I have the balance of sugar and insulin right to ensure I am able to fulfill my role as an athlete. Everyone else has their pancreas to do this for them, but I have to regularly test my blood to ensure the levels are right. I haven’t really known life without this routine so it is not a problem to me, I have to control it correctly to get the best out of myself as an athlete.

RR: In 2006 you won the able-bodied National Tandem Sprint Championship with partially sighted Paralympian, Anthony Kappes, which made you the first Paralympic team to hold the able-bodied national title — that must have given you a massive boost.

All partially sighted athletes are incredible athletes in their own right and I have since won that title with Neil Fachie as well. It didn’t surprise me that we won, because we were by far the best pairing in the competition, and to me, and all the other riders we have raced against, sport is just sport, the circumstance of someone’s eyesight is just that a circumstance and doesn’t affect their level of elite sport.

Sarah and Barney

RR: Who were the most famous people you met at London 2012 and what are your best memories from there and other games?

We met loads of great people at the Games, whether or not they are famous is for someone else to decide! To us they are team mates or opposition. The memories from every Games are far too many to put into one answer, but in general, winning medals, the crowds, the volunteers and the Olympic Village and venues all add up to an amazing experience.

RR: You’ve been married since 2007. Do you train together, and if so, what’s it like to work with your spouse?

We train together sometimes, but our events are quite different so it isn’t that often. Working with your spouse is great, we have each others best interests at heart and fully understand the world that we both operate in, we think it is a huge advantage.

RR: Who’s the most competitive?

We both are, we have to be to get the best out of ourselves in competition.

RR: Who’s in charge of the TV remote control?

Whoever picks it up first.

RR: Who’s the best cook?

We both have to be to look after ourselves as athletes.

RR: Do you have time for many other sports or hobbies?

We love travelling and so our sport is ideal for watching other sports and seeing the world.

RR: We understand you have season tickets for Old Trafford — how long have you had them and where do you sit?

I think we have had them for about 10 years and we sit in the lower stand of the stretford end, two rows behind the goal.

RR: What do you think of the new signings and how do you think the team are doing?

Sir Alex Ferguson has proven time and again that he has an eye for great new signings and bringing in players that bond well and gel with the rest of the squad. It has been great to see the success of the team so far this season and the new signings have certainly complemented the rest of the team with Robin van Persie being an inspired new addition.

RR: What are your best United memories?

Beating Arsenal 8-2 last season, winning the Champions League in 1999 and 2008. There are really far too many great memories to single out just a few though and it is fantastic to see the success of the club and the family atmosphere on which the foundations of the club are built.

RR: Do you come from a family of MUFC supporters?

Neither of us are from families who are obsessed with football perhaps like other families, we enjoy all sport but Manchester United and Manchester City are the teams that family members follow. It is just Barney and I and my brother who are regular visitors to the matches.

RR: At what age and with whom did you start going to matches?

It was when I came home from university that I started going with my brother who was at sixth form and had his first job to pay for his ticket. Barney lived in Dorset so couldn’t get to the matches until he met me when he moved to Manchester

RR: With busy schedules, are you still able to get to games?

We go to as many as we can. It’s always great to watch someone else perform for a change

RR: What has been your favourite Manchester United era (over a period of two or three seasons)?

The whole era of has been amazing since Sir Alex took over. The ability of the club to change and adapt to stay at the top is amazing. There have been so many great players over the years and they have all contributed to making the club the worldwide success it is. Each era has created the next era and that has been the key to the club remaining a driving force within world football.

RR: Do you have a favourite current player, if so who?

Impossible to choose because none of the players would be anything without their team mates.

RR: All-time player?

Too difficult to narrow down to just one, the team has been a victim of its own success in that there is, without doubt, an incredible list of players of all time.