Paralympic Power Couple: Robyn Love & Laurie Williams Aim for Gold in Paris
As the excitement from the Paris Olympics fades, anticipation builds for the Paralympics, where LGBTQ+ athletes are making their mark. This year's Summer Olympics saw a record-breaking 175 openly queer athletes compete, with Team LGBTQ+ securing 43 medals and an unofficial 7th place finish.
The Paralympic Games are set to feature at least 27 openly LGBTQ+ athletes vying for medals, including seven from Team GB. Among them are wheelchair basketball power couple Robyn Love and Laurie Williams, whose love story is as inspiring as their athletic achievements.
Love and Williams, together for almost a decade, welcomed their first child, Alba, in April. Their journey to Paris holds a special significance: Love popped the question to Williams under the Eiffel Tower 18 months before they competed together at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. "I almost managed to get down on one knee," Love joked, according to Outsports.
Both athletes are committed to promoting inclusivity and visibility within sport. Speaking to Sky Sports, Robyn reflected on the importance of representation: "I didnât see LGBT people, disabled people, never mind the two things combined. Personally, I didnât see myself represented in media."
Williams echoed this sentiment, highlighting the impact of increased media coverage on disability sports: "That exposure, it not only educates people but also gets people into the sport. I wish when I was younger, I would have seen it on television and I could have started younger. I started pretty young but you want to be able to participate in sport like your able-bodied counterparts."
Who is Robyn Love?
Born in Scotland, Love has arthrogryposis, a rare condition affecting muscle development, leaving her with a shorter right leg. Despite this, she has become a Paralympic powerhouse, first representing Team GB in Rio in 2016, alongside Williams.
Their story reads like a sports-themed rom-com. Love first saw Williams compete at the 2012 London Paralympics before meeting her in 2014 and joining Team GB. While wheelchair basketball has been a dominant force in Love's career, she has recently announced her retirement from international competition. With tennis being her first love, she may soon be swapping basketball courts for the tennis court.
Who is Laurie Williams?
Paris will mark Williamsâ fourth Paralympic Games, her speed earning her the nickname "Whippet." She developed motor neuropathy, a condition impacting nerve function in the trunk and legs, as a result of an undiagnosed viral infection as a baby. Williams made her Team GB debut at the Paralympics World Cup in 2009, at just 17 years old.
As Robyn Love and Laurie Williams prepare to take on the 2024 Paralympic Games, their story serves as a beacon of inspiration for athletes and spectators alike. Their dedication to their sport, their love for each other, and their unwavering commitment to inclusivity make them true role models, proving that anything is possible with passion, perseverance, and a bit of love.
