British Olympians with asthma

Paula Radcliffe

Paula currently holds a total of 10 world records including the  marathon. She is an Asthma UK Ambassador and this will be her fourth Olympic games.

'I don't really think asthma has affected my career, if anything it's made me more determined to be successful and reach my maximum potential. If you learn to manage your asthma and take the correct medicine, there's no reason why you shouldn't be the best.

‘I have exercise-induced asthma, which was first recognised when I started training seriously at the age of 14. I take my peak flow readings regularly so I can make sure I'm always getting the right level of treatment and when training, I take my preventer inhaler first thing in the morning and I always take my reliever inhaler before I start exercising. It is also very important for me to warm up gently and gradually before I compete as this helps make sure my asthma doesn't interfere with my training.

'The message that I always try to communicate is, control your asthma and don’t let it control you.'

Marlon Devonish

Marlon achieved a gold medal in the 4x100 m relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He will be competing in the 200m in this year’s Olympics in Beijing.

Sebastian Coe

Sebastian Coe won four Olympic medals and set eight outdoor and three indoor world records in middle distance track events (and also participated in a world record relay).

Liz Yelling

Liz has been a competitive distance runner since the age of 11, this will be her second Olympic games. She was the first Briton home in the Athens Olympic marathon in 2004.

Jo Pavey

Jo is a track and field athlete, competing internationally for Great Britain. Beijing will be Jo’s third Olympic games. She achieved 5th place in the women’s 5,000m in Athens in 2004.

Giles Long

Paralympian Giles broke the world record in winning the 100m butterfly at the World Championships, and has since added three gold and two silver medals to his collection. He also won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.

Liz McColgan

Liz is a former Scottish long distance track and road running athlete. She won a silver medal for Great Britain in the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Adrian Moorhouse

Adrian dominated British swimming in the late 1980s. He won the 100m breaststroke gold medal at the Seoul Olympics and just missed out on a medal in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, coming fourth.

Karen Pickering

Karen is an Asthma UK Ambassador and a retired Olympic swimmer. She competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992.

'I was diagnosed with asthma aged seven, which was when my doctor told me that swimming would help my asthma by strengthening my lungs. Despite exercise being one of my asthma triggers, I persevered and always kept an inhaler at the end of my lane while I trained and in my tracksuit pocket as I went up for my races. I went on to compete in four consecutive Summer Olympics and won Commonwealth and World Championship gold medals and since retiring from International competition I have set up my own learn to swim schools called Karen Pickering SWIM. 'If I hadn't swum and taken part in sports, my life would have been completely different. I've benefited greatly from swimming and although my asthma made it difficult at times I never let it hold me back from achieving my goals.'

Tom James

Tom is a British Olympic rower who won a bronze medal in the Athens Olympics and has been selected in the men's four for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Bradley Wiggins

Bradley is a Belgian-born track and road bicycle racer who won three medals at the 2004 Olympics, including a gold medal in the 4km Individual Pursuit. Beijing will be Bradley's third Olympic games. 

Elise Laverick

Elise is a British rower who won bronze at the 2004 Olympics. She has been selected in the women’s double scull for this year’s Olympics.