Doctor of the University
Three-time Paralympic medallist with multiple world and European titles to her name.
Lauren was born missing her lower right arm but this has only spurred her on to be the best version of herself, and she relishes the challenge of overcoming barriers.
Her passion for swimming started when she was just four years old. By the age of 15, she was representing Team GB as a Paralympic swimmer in Beijing 2008.
Lauren competed in London 2012 as a swimmer, but has since specialised in paratriathlon, achieving the silver medal in Team GB’s inaugural entry at Rio 2016.
At Tokyo 2020, Lauren returned to the Games stronger than ever. She made history by winning the Paralympic Champion title for Team GB. It was the culmination of a 16-year dream and the final medal to complete her arsenal of titles.
More recently, Lauren has competed in the Paralympic Triathlon Champion in Paris 2024, having claimed bronze, as well as striving to qualify for her first Winter Paralympics, Milan 2026 as a cross country skier. This makes Lauren a three-time Paralympic medallist, having also claimed silver at Rio 2016 alongside her Tokyo 2020 gold.
Dancing and UK television
In her free time, Lauren loves to salsa dance and notably reached the semi-final of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. Two years later she was crowned joint winner on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins after facing a gruelling course in the challenging terrain of Scotland’s rugged West Coast. More recently, Lauren has swapped the triathlon course for the kitchen, bringing the same winning determination to be crowned winner of Celebrity MasterChef UK 2026.
Academic career
Lauren’s dedication and drive in all aspects of her life also saw her attain a 1st Class Psychology degree and a Distinction in her Master’s in Business from the University of Portsmouth. Her next academic goal is a PhD studying preventative mental wellbeing practices for Olympians and Paralympians.