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In this episode of Dive Beyond Sport, hosts Yona Knight-Wisdom and Freddie Woodward sit down with Shelley Dowling-Holroyd, a former British javelin thrower, to discuss her remarkable journey in athletics. Shelley shares her experiences from competing in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to her career transition into athlete support and inclusion within UK athletics. The conversation touches on her personal resilience in overcoming severe injuries, the significance of mental health in sports, and the importance of a coach's role in an athlete's success. Shelley also speaks about the establishment of the Athletics Pride Network and her contributions to the Paralympic community, emphasizing the value of lived experience and paying it forward. Through her story, Shelley provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of sports funding, athlete development, and the critical role of mindset in achieving excellence.

Show Notes

• How Shelley Dowling-Holroyd turned a life-changing car crash into the driving force behind her Olympic journey
• Why she believes resilience is the greatest skill any athlete can develop, both in sport and in life
• How failure became a foundation for growth and the key to her long-term success
• What losing her athletic identity taught her about purpose, vulnerability, and starting over
• Why mental health and emotional preparation are just as vital as physical training for athletes
• How Shelley found new meaning in helping others through inclusion, coaching, and athlete welfare
• What inspired her to champion disability inclusion and challenge perceptions around ability
• Why she believes great coaching starts with empathy, not instruction
• How her mentor Frank Dick shaped her philosophy of “paying it forward” in sport
• Why it’s never too late to learn, adapt, and begin a new chapter, even after sport

Guest Pick:

Book: Wings by Kathy Wright

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