‘She hasn’t aged a day in 20 years’ say Strictly fans as show star, 51, appears at the Olympics
LEGENDARY athlete Denise Lewis blew fans away with her ageless beauty after featuring on the Olympics.
The heptathlon star impressed viewers with her moves on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004.
Denise was one of the finest British track and field athletes of all time after winning gold in the Sydney Olympics.
She represented Team GB in Atlanta in 1996 and then in Australia she struck gold in 2000.
The sports star was awarded an OBE in 2001.
But it’s not just athletics that Denise has a talent for, she’s also an incredible dancer and was a runner-up in the second season of Strictly.
Partnered with Ian Waite in 2004, she lost to Jill Halfpenny who danced to glory with Darren Bennett.
She returned to Strictly again in 2016 as a contestant in the Christmas special alongside Anton Du Beke.
Denise, now 51, was accused of “not aging a day” since her time on the BBC show.
Strictly is celebrating 20 years, amid a tough few months of scandals.
“Speaking of 20 years of #Strictly, Denise Lewis has not aged a single day since her epic samba! #olympics,” one fan wrote on X.
“I just said this to my husband, she looks a million dollars. She could turn out that Quickstep without thinking twice,” said a second.
She has been a regular on the BBC athletics commentary team in Paris for the 2024 Olympic games.
In her impressive career, she also picked up gold in the European Championships in 1998 and two silvers in the World Championship in 1997 and 1999.
She also scooped gold twice in the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and 1998.
Due to injury, Denise was forced to pull out of the 2004 Olympics after the long jump.
Since her retirement, she has been a staple of the BBC’s athletics coverage, whilst she also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and finished runner-up in 2004.
Since 2009, Lewis has been a pundit on the Beeb’s coverage of the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
Up until 2005, Lewis was dating fellow athlete Patrick Stevens, a runner from Belgium – and the pair have one daughter together, Lauryn.
The couple split in that year and in 2006 the Team GB star married Steve Finan O’Connor – who was a former manager to pop group All Saints.
Steve is the son of comedian and presenter Tom O’Connor, who sadly died after a long battle with Parkinsons in July 2021.
They have three sons – Ryan, Kane and Troy – and have now been married 12 years.
Denise is also step-mum to Joe O’Connor.