Who is Samantha Kinghorn? Meet The One Show TV presenter and Scottish World Champion wheelchair racer
SAMANTHA Kinghorn has got her eye on the prize in Paris 2024.
The wheelchair racer is taking part at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and this time she wants too bag a gold medal.
Who is Samantha Kinghorn?
Samantha Kinghorn was born January 6, 1996 and is taking part in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
She is a Scottish World Champion wheelchair racer and TV presenter.
In December 2010, Samantha was crushed by snow and ice which fell from the roof at the family farm breaking her back.
She had emergency surgery and spent five months in hospital
The injury to her spine left her paralysed from the waist down.
Speaking to The Scotsman, she said: “I thought I’d be in a bed forever.
“So, to then get into a wheelchair was amazing. I know it sounds strange, but I was so happy.
“Then to find I could actually compete in sport in my wheelchair has just been incredible.
“Sport has helped me hugely, helped me to really accept it “
Samantha’s first EVER race was the London 2012 Mini Marathon, where she came second.
She was awarded an MBE in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to disability sport.
What sport does Samantha Kinghorn compete in?
Samantha is part of the Team GB para athletics squad at the Paralympic Games 2024.
She is competing in four wheelchair racing events in Paris – the 100m, 400m, and 800m in the T53 category, and 100m in T54.
Samantha is hoping emulate the success she had at Tokyo 2020 where she won silver in the 400m T53 and bronze in the 100m.
Countryfile is a side of me that people don’t necessarily get to see.
Samantha Kinghorn
The athlete also won the bronze in the women’s T53/54 1500m final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Samantha has also bagged gold three times at the World Championships and another trio at the European Championships.
Which TV shows does Samantha Kinghorn present?
In 2023, Samantha landed a job as a presenter on BBC‘s Countryfile.
Speaking about being on the show, she told Ealing Times: “I didn’t always think I’d be in sport, so I sometimes struggle with the identity of being an athlete.
“This isn’t who I thought I was going to be so to be on television and Countryfile is a side of me that people don’t necessarily get to see.”
Samantha has also appeared on The One Show.
How to watch the Paralympic Games
All Paralympic events can be watched on Channel 4 every day whilst the Games are on, with coverage starting from 7am each day.
The Last Leg In Paris is also airing each night – except Tuesday, September 3, 2024 – from 9.45pm until 10.30pm.
The show is hosted as normal by Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker.
US spectators can tune in on either Peacock or NBC Olympics platforms.
All of the events taking place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics
Each sport is broken down into subcategories giving athletes the chance to compete on equal terms with those who have a similar impairment.
Here are the events:
- Para archery
- Para athletics
- Para badminton
- Blind football
- Boccia
- Para canoe
- Para cycling
- Para equestrian
- Goalball
- Para judo
- Para powerlifting
- Para rowing
- Shooting Para sport
- Sitting volleyball
- Para swimming
- Para table tennis
- Para taekwondo
- Para triathlon
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair fencing
- Wheelchair rugby
- Wheelchair tennis