Women in Sport: Team GB’s most decorated winter Paralympic athlete Kelly Gallagher
In this instalment of our Women in Sport series, Kelly Gallagher shares her sporting inspirations, biggest goals and proudest achievements.
Team GB’s most decorated and inspiring winter Paralympic athletes and Northern Ireland’s own Kelly Gallagher is a pioneering para-alpine skier, competing at elite levels and breaking boundaries.
Kelly won Britain’s first-ever Winter Paralympic gold medal at Sochi 2014 in the women’s super-G visually impaired, amassed nine World Championship medals and multiple European medals. Her journey of resilience, passion and performance resonates far beyond the slopes.
Here, she shares her sporting story with us.
Name: Kelly Gallagher
Profession: Retired Alpine Skier
Earliest sporting memory?
Struggling with PE as a small child, not understanding why we were playing games I couldn’t “do” properly like rounders or football.
How did you become involved in your sport?
I really liked keeping up with friends, my mummy would have brought me to the local gymnastics club and swimming. When I was 17, we went on a little driving holiday to Toulouse, Lourdes and Andorra. I asked to try skiing, and fell in love with the adventure of being in the mountains
What message would you like to share with young women and girls interested in pursuing a career as an athlete?
Carve your own pathway, define your own picture of success and collaborate with likeminded people along the way. Nobody would have imagined that a young visually impaired girl from Northern Ireland would be competing on skis at 90 km/h, but for me it became my everyday and it was possible because of my own tenacity but also support from the likes of my guide, Charlotte and a sports performance expert, Kelley Fay.
Proudest moment so far…
My gold is the obvious one. And those quieter golden moments like winning the World Cup GS in St Moritz in 2019 after having a few seasons of poor performance and overcoming injury. It was amazing to prove to myself that I am a great ski racer, I could feel the runs were fast and great skiing. Also, I’d say that seeing younger athletes excel nowadays, there are some juniors who have seen me win and are now pursuing similar pathways. I’m really proud to know that the investment from the likes of the National Lottery into Winter sports in Grassroots to elite level is having an impact. The National Lottery has brilliantly invested over £200 million in winter sports since 1995. There are clear pathways for those children now, instead of them spending valuable time and energy finding their own way and struggle. They can focus on performance.
The female athlete I admire most is…
Mikela Shiffrin because she’s an incredible talent, has been impressive at the World Cup since she was 16 and has worked through some difficult times to be back in the red bib.
Favourite sporting memory…
My first World Cup win was on Mother’s Day 2013 and I remember thinking, “yes, this is where I want to be!”
Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?
I think that in our society, women’s sport is still not valued as much as men’s sport. This is why I adore following ski racing, as when I’m out in Austria for example, both men’s and women’s races are appreciated similarly. The exposure of the racing is on TV the same as we’d have GAA.
What is the biggest barrier to driving visibility in women’s sports?
Investment in coverage. If we wanted to, we could male women’s sport visible.
The biggest stigma/misconception that exists in women’s sport is…
I think the biggest misconception is that it should be the same as men’s sport. When that would be akin to comparing tennis and F1, they’re differently paced and require different skills.
If I wasn’t an athlete I would be…
Well I’ve got a degree and a career in mathematics, so the reality is that, however if I had good eyesight, there’d be no holding me back, I’d probably be into horse racing as a jockey or horse trainer!
My favourite pre-competition meal is…
A banana.
My pre-competition playlist includes…
Sing-along type hits, to distract me from being nervous.
My daily routine is…
Right now? I’m a mummy of two, so I’m generally walking to and from school, and pick ups and drop off of all their activities. For ski racing it’s a far cry from motherhood, early start, stretching, breakfast, first lift and get kit on, another indoor warm up, an on snow warm up, then 8-10 runs in the course, before lunch, download in the gondola, cycle out the legs and physio, video analysis with coaches, dinner, and bed, for another day in the clouds of the mountains!
My biggest sporting goal is…
Now that I’ve retired, my biggest vision is lending my voice to the younger athletes in the Paralympic movement, developing the athlete voice and advocating for those coming behind me.
Sports brands I love (Irish or otherwise)…
I love Kit, and when I was a racer I was supported by Volkl/Dalbello/Marker for ski boots and bindings so I’ve a soft spot for them!
Biggest splurge to celebrate a win…
Fancy chocolate!
How do you mind your mental health?
I was away from home a lot with ski racing, I adored having a day off to go get my hair cut in the resort, it was always a roulette how my language skills in German would be interpreted! And I take pictures to journal. I’ve retired and have some of the most gorgeous photos of sunrises in practical heaven! Gratitude always helped me. And working with our Sports Psychologist.
My three desert island beauty products are…
Good face moisturiser with SPF.
I need as much as 10 hours of sleep a night because…
Skiing at high speeds when you’re not in good physical condition would inevitably lead to injury though these days, I function remarkably well on five hours sleep as I’ve got a five and three year old!
Confidence, to me, is…
A feeling of contentment, belonging, and I found that in ski racing. Knowing I was supported with my funding once I proved my potential with my World championships medals in 2011 made me feel more of an athlete and helped me evaluate my performance immensely.
How do you get over a bad performance?
Focus on the controllable aspects, reset and think about the process rather than the outcome, it’s all about review and refocus. Also I was great as an athlete with having the perspective of, “it’s just ski racing, think less, live more”, it is supposed to be simple and fun, “red, blue, go fast!”
Lastly, why is sport such an integral part of community, on a club, local, national and personal level?
Parents and children with disabilities are often told how impossible day-to-day activities are. Skiing holidays and sport and recreation can seem like it is off limits. Since I returned to Northern Ireland with my gold medal, I’ve received lots of emails, post and messages from people who have been motivated to explore sport for themselves. I think sport has opened up the world for me, and I know that my adventure in ski racing has created a path for others to go live their own adventure.
Because of National Lottery players, over £32 million is raised every week for Good Causes, including Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s athletes as they compete at the Winter Games. More than £200 million of National Lottery funding has been invested in winter sports since 1995, supporting elite athletes, grassroots clubs, and world-class facilities, enabling champions to emerge from communities across the UK.
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