Double Paralympic Champ Sophie Unwin Eyes New Gold

Five years ago, Sophie Unwin had never sat on a tandem bicycle. Today, the double Paralympic champion is gearing up for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a new partner and the same winning mindset that earned her gold medals in both Tokyo and Paris.

The 31-year-old visually impaired cyclist from Wiltshire will represent England this July with pilot Sylvia Misztal, who is brand new to the role. Unwin's previous partner, Jenny Holl, will be competing for Scotland, turning former teammates into friendly rivals.

"It's all been about learning to ride with a different person and see how we get on together," Unwin told BBC Radio Wiltshire. "I am confident we can do well."

The switch highlights just how interconnected the Paralympic cycling community is. Athletes who normally train together as one GB team must now split up for the Commonwealth Games, competing under their home nations' flags.

Unwin's trophy cabinet tells an incredible story of rapid success. She and Holl won gold in both the 3,000m individual pursuit and road race in Paris, plus a silver and bronze in other events. They also claimed silver in Tokyo and multiple world championship golds between 2021 and 2025.

The partnership between pilot and cyclist requires extraordinary coordination. "There is a big skillset needed to ride on the front of the tandem," Unwin explained. "You are both working to put out as much power as each other at the same time, so both of you have to be elite-level athletes."

Handling a tandem bicycle brings unique challenges too. The bike is twice the length and weight of a solo cycle, moving differently and requiring constant communication between both riders about what's happening on the course.

Why This Inspires

Unwin's journey proves it's never too late to discover your calling. She wasn't a sporty child and had no dreams of becoming an athlete. A talent call for visually impaired female athletes went out before the rescheduled Tokyo Games, and she answered it in August 2020.

Within a year, she was winning world championships. Now she's teaching a new pilot the ropes while preparing for her next international competition. "It still feels new in my head every time," she said after her Glasgow participation was confirmed.

Starting from scratch with Misztal means rebuilding that crucial chemistry from the ground up, but Unwin's track record suggests she knows how to make partnerships work.

The Commonwealth Games begin July 23, and Unwin is ready to show that change doesn't have to slow you down.