Physiotherapist Lissie sets sights on golden moment at Los Angeles Paralympics

Paracyclist Lissie Simpson is hoping her ‘American Dream’ comes true in 2028.

“Representing Team GB and winning a gold medal has been my goal from a young age,” said Lissie. “I am determined to achieve this and prove anything is possible.”

If she can achieve her aim at the Los Angeles Paralympics, Lissie, a physiotherapist at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, will have overcome the odds to do so.

A member of the Great Britain Under-19 Handball team as well as a regional hockey and football player, Elisabeth was a sporting-mad teenager.

But in 2015, while undergoing surgery on a brain tumour, she suffered a stroke that left her paralysed down the left side.

“I had to learn to walk again and to do things one handed with my non-dominant right hand,” she said. “But I am a very determined individual and returned to university to complete my degree in physiotherapy.”

Lissie’s first exposure to paracycling came in 2022 at a British Cycling talent ID day where she was spotted as having the attributes required to develop as an elite athlete.

“As a child I was often on my bike; cycling to school, to the park, to see friends gave me so much freedom,” she recalls.

“When I went on a borrowed road bike at the Talent ID day I felt free. For the first time I could do something that felt somewhat similar to before my stroke - I could pedal on two wheels.”

Since then, Lissie has gone from strength to strength and in February was crowned champion in the Women’s 1Km Time Trial for C1-5 para cyclists at the National Track Championships with a world record time. She has just returned from Para-Cycling Road World Cup events in Belgium and Italy.

“I am a driven individual working towards being the best women’s C2 rider there is,” added Lissie, who rides with Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club and self-funds her coaching equipment and travel costs.

“As part of the Community Stroke Team, I’m also passionate about helping patients achieve their goals when they are recovering from a stroke.

“I had community rehab myself and having that empathy of knowing what they are going through helps me to build great relationships with patients.”

Stroke Awareness Month takes place every May to highlight the realities of stroke, the importance of recovery support, stroke prevention and causes.

For more information about care at UHCW, please click here.

* Cycling pictures courtesy of SWpix.com