02 September, 2009
Chris Holmes MBE appointed Director of Paralympic Integration by London 2012
Paralympic gold medallist and Inspirational Speaker Chris Holmes MBE has been appointed as the director of Paralympic integration by London 2012. He was appointed in the role on August 28th, just one day off of the 3 year countdown to the Games.
The nine-time Paralympic gold medallist will lead on all aspects of London 2012’s planning and organisation for the Paralympic Games.
Holmes said of the appointment, “I am honoured to be taking up this position and it is a dream come true for me. My role is to ensure we continue our detailed work for a first class delivery of the Paralympic Games in 2012. My priorities are to educate our audiences so they understand and enjoy Paralympic sport. The Games offer a truly unique opportunity for our country – a chance to change Britain for the better.”
Holmes lost his sight overnight when he was 14 but still went onto study politics at Cambridge and enjoy a successful international swimming career.
He has been a Board member at UK Sport since 2005 and was a Commissioner on the board of the Disability Rights Commission from 2002-2007, as well as practicing at a leading City international law firm.
Holmes also chairs UK Sport’s Audit Committee and sits on the organisation’s Mission 2012 Paralympic Panel.
He is also a Patron of the “Help for Heroes” charity and the British Paralympic Association,
Prior to the 2008 Summer Paralympics, Holmes was Britain’s most successful Paralympic swimmer, having won a total of nine golds, five silvers, and one bronze medal during a career which spanned the Games at Seoul in 1988 to Sydney in 2000.
His most successful Games was at Barcelona in 1992 when he won six gold medals.
The Three Years to Go milestone was marked by a visit to the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park by teenage swimmer Ellie Simmonds who won two Paralympic gold medals in Beijing last year, and Holmes.
To read more about plans for the Paralympic Games in 2012 read the full Inside the Games report here.
To read more about Chris Holmes MBE read his Inspirational Speakers Profile here.