Sophie Christiansen
Encyclopedia
Sophie Margaret Christiansen MBE
(born 14 November 1987) is a British equestrian
who has twice competed in the Paralympic Games
.
Christiansen was born two months prematurely with cerebral palsy
and suffered from other health problems including jaundice
, blood poisoning, a heart attack and a collapsed lung. At the age of six she began horse riding as a form of physiotherapy at her local Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) group.
She first competed at the Paralympics aged 16 and was the youngest athlete for Great Britain at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
. She contested both the freestyle and championship dressage grade I, the classification grade for severely disabled athletes. In the freestyle event Christiansen finished fourth with the gold medal being won by British teammate Lee Pearson
. The championship grade I dressage saw Christiansen win her first Paralympic medal. Competing with her horse Hotstuff, she took bronze with gold again being won by Pearson. She was named BBC London Disabled Athlete of the Year for 2004.
Following her success in Athens Christiansen was selected to be part of the British team at the 2005 European Championships held in Hungary where she won three gold medals. At the World Championships in 2007 she won a gold medal in the freestyle dressage and a bronze medal in the individual dressage event.
In 2008 she represented Great Britain at the Summer Paralympics
. The equestrian events were not held in the host city Beijing
but instead took place at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Hong Kong
. Competing in her second Games she again contested the freestyle and championship dressage events but was also part of the British quartet in the team dressage. On her horse Lambrusco she won an individual gold medal in the freestyle and silver in the championship dressage. In the team open Christiansen, with teammates Lee Pearson, Anne Dunham
and Simon Laurens
won her second Paralympic gold medal. This meant that Great Britain has won a gold medal in this event at four consecutive Games.
Christiansen was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to disabled sport.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 14 November 1987) is a British equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
who has twice competed in the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
.
Christiansen was born two months prematurely with cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
and suffered from other health problems including jaundice
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia . This hyperbilirubinemia subsequently causes increased levels of bilirubin in the extracellular fluid...
, blood poisoning, a heart attack and a collapsed lung. At the age of six she began horse riding as a form of physiotherapy at her local Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) group.
She first competed at the Paralympics aged 16 and was the youngest athlete for Great Britain at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Great Britain at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Great Britain sent a delegation of 166 athletes to the 2004 Summer Paralympics, covering 15 sports...
. She contested both the freestyle and championship dressage grade I, the classification grade for severely disabled athletes. In the freestyle event Christiansen finished fourth with the gold medal being won by British teammate Lee Pearson
Lee Pearson
David Lee Pearson, CBE is a nine-times paralympic games gold medallist having represented British para-equestrianism in Sydney, Athens and Beijing. He also has six world-championship and three European titles...
. The championship grade I dressage saw Christiansen win her first Paralympic medal. Competing with her horse Hotstuff, she took bronze with gold again being won by Pearson. She was named BBC London Disabled Athlete of the Year for 2004.
Following her success in Athens Christiansen was selected to be part of the British team at the 2005 European Championships held in Hungary where she won three gold medals. At the World Championships in 2007 she won a gold medal in the freestyle dressage and a bronze medal in the individual dressage event.
In 2008 she represented Great Britain at the Summer Paralympics
Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
Great Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Great Britain sent a delegation of around 400, of which 212 were athletes, to compete in eighteen sports at the Games...
. The equestrian events were not held in the host city Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
but instead took place at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Competing in her second Games she again contested the freestyle and championship dressage events but was also part of the British quartet in the team dressage. On her horse Lambrusco she won an individual gold medal in the freestyle and silver in the championship dressage. In the team open Christiansen, with teammates Lee Pearson, Anne Dunham
Anne Dunham (equestrian)
Anne Patricia Dunham MBE is a British equestrian who has competed in the Paralympic Games.-Early life and disability:...
and Simon Laurens
Simon Laurens
Simon Laurens is a British equestrian who competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, held in Beijing, China....
won her second Paralympic gold medal. This meant that Great Britain has won a gold medal in this event at four consecutive Games.
Christiansen was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to disabled sport.