Isabel Newstead (nee Barr), MBE
(1955-2007)
Disability Sport
Inducted in 2008
In the early years of disability sport, it was common for the top disabled athletes to compete in several sports, and Isabel excelled in swimming, athletics and shooting.
At the 1984 Paralympic Games, Isabel won nine medals across all three of her sports, a remarkable achievement for a spinally injured athlete in one of the most severely physically disabled competition classes.
Preparing for training and competition was a major challenge for somebody with such severe mobility difficulties. Health problems forced her to drop swimming but in 1988 she was selected to compete at the Paralympic Games in Seoul in athletics and shooting. Isabel won four medals for the British team.
The Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004 was possibly her finest hour, with a gold medal in the women’s air pistol. She had already established herself in this event as the undisputed number one in her class by winning major international honours all over the world.
Isabel was awarded an MBE in 2000.
Paralympic gold medal, 25m backstroke, 1980
Paralympic gold medal, 25m breaststroke, 1980 & 1984
Paralympic gold medal, 25m freestyle, 1980
Paralympic silver medal, shot put, 1984 & 1988
Paralympic gold medal, air pistol, 1984, 2000 & 2004
Paralympic bronze medal, 25m backstroke, 1984
Paralympic bronze medal, 25m freestyle, 1984
Paralympic silver medal, 100m freestyle, 1984
Paralympic gold medal, 25m butterfly, 1984
Paralympic gold medal, 3 x 25m individual medley, 1984
Paralympic silver medal, discus, 1984
Paralympic bronze medal, javelin, 1988
Paralympic gold medal, discus, 1988
Paralympic bronze medal, air pistol, 1988