liz - johnson
swimming
What was your sport and how did you get into it?
I was a swimmer. I started swimming so that I would be safe around water and used it as hydrotherapy to help with my Cerebral Palsy. The reality of it becoming a career for me developed when I joined a club at the age of eight and I started to focus on it when other sports didn’t have such inclusive pathways for me to excel, at a level I wanted the opportunity of.
Tell us about the highlights of your sporting career?
I spent 18 years in the National Squad and my highlights were:
Paralympic, World and European Champion
3 x Paralympic Games
Athens 2004 – Silver
Beijing 2008 – Gold
London 2012 – Bronze
World Record holder from 2005 -2011
At the London 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony, I read the Athlete Oath and this was pretty big for me as at school I got anxious at the thought of speaking in front of my class
What were some of the challenges you experienced and how did you overcome them?
I think growing up with a disability in a world that was designed for a “typical” type of person, one of my biggest challenges was accepting that it was okay to do things in a different way to others and proving to people that I was just as capable of achieving my goals. When I was 21 my Mum got diagnosed with terminal cancer and she died the following year – this was the most difficult experience that I have ever had to process and navigating life without her is a constant challenge. As with everything I’ve been faced with – big or small – I’ve realised that surrounding myself with good people that I can trust and doing regular checks on how I’m feeling and what is upsetting me, then looking at what I can do about it, really helps.
What have been your highlights while working at the Trust?
I was one of the first athletes to work on simultaneous programmes in three different home nations, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. Some of my highlights include working alongside Peaceplayers in Belfast to deliver to young pepole there and working on the very first programme that was specifically for disabled young people across the UK.
What do you do now alongside working for the Trust?
I work as a broadcaster and commentator, primarily in Para-sport and specifically swimming at events such as the Paralympics & Invictus Games. I’m working as an Executive Producer on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games coverage for Channel 4. The confidence and experience I’ve gained has helped me establish a career as a corporate speaker and I also co-founded an organisation called The Ability People which works with organisations to help them become authentically inclusive for all demographics and increase opportunities for disabled employees.
I am an author for the LinkedIn Learning Library platform and have produced content on Disability Inclusion
What life advice would you give a young person?
Surround yourself with people who make you better, whether that’s by challenging you, supporting you or making you happy. I’ve come to learn that every obstacle creates an opportunity.
What experience do you have of working with corporate organisations?
I have been working with corporate organisations since 2007. Whilst swimming I was sponsored by EDF Energy and BT and would work on customer/client/employee engagement, specific initiatives and key note speeches.
I regularly deliver workshops, facilitate meetings, deliver webinars andconsult on inclusion stategy.
What does Being Me mean to you?
For me, “Being Me” means being able to be my authentic self, not having to pretend I’m thinking or feeling something that I am not, and doing what I need to do to be happy and successful. Being Me is about not having to apologise for my differences, but being able to own them and appreciate them so that I feel empowered to succeed.
Competitive
Record
2012
Paralympic Games London – BRONZE
2011
European Championships – GOLD
2010
World Championships – BRONZE
2009
World Championships (25m) – GOLD 100m Breaststroke,
World Championships (25m) 100m Individual Medley - BRONZE
World Championships (25m) 200m Individual Medley - BRONZE
European Championships - SILVER
2008
Paralympic Games Beijing - GOLD
2006
World Championships – 3 x GOLD medals
