Powering Conversations

Kinghorn first became involved in para athletics in 2011, a year after she suffered a serious spinal injury following an accident on her family’s farm in the Scottish Borders. Since then, the 24-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks, having competed on the world’s stage at the Rio Paralympics in 2016 and then becoming double World Champion in the 100m and 200m at the London World Championships in 2017.

She is also the current World record holder over 200m and European record holder over 100m, 400m and 800m.

“My entrance into the world of sport was quite different to most people,” she said. “I broke my back which left me paralysed from the waist down when I was 14 years old.

“While I spent my time in hospital, my physio noticed that I could be pretty good at sport. I always loved sport before my accident so she thought it would be a good opportunity for me to meet other people who had been going through the exact same things that I had been going through.”

“So while I was in hospital, I went to a thing called the Spinal Unit Games and I tried out every adapted sport you have ever heard of in your life. I had no idea that all these sports could be adapted. I remember playing ‘murder ball’ which is wheelchairr ugby. It’s so brutal! I spent most of the time on my back!”

Kinghorn discusses her career highlights so far, how preparations are going ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics next year and also how she first became involved in motivational speaking.

Powering Conversation with SP Energy Networks will feature inspiring women from the world of rugby and beyond. Hosted by Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm, the series will reach outside the typical discussion on women’s sport and provide more of an insight into the journeys and lives of the guests.

Look out for our next episode with Samantha Kinghorn in the new year. You can watch the latest episode with Scotland’s most capped player, Donna Kennedy, on scottishrugby.org now.