Bethy Woodward
Quick Facts
Biography
Bethany "Bethy" Woodward (born 26 December 1992) is a British Paralympic athlete who competes in sprint events in T37 events. She has competed at the highest level of her sport, representing England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Great Britain in the IPC Athletic World Championships and the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
She was conferred as an Honorary Senior Fellow of Regent's University London on 9 July 2015.
Early life
Woodward was born in Ringwood, England in 1992. Woodward, who has cerebral palsy became interested in athletics after competing in a school sports day at the age of eleven. After joining an athletics club she entered athletic meets competing in sprint events. She entered the School Games in 2007 and in 2009 she recorded a personal best in the 100m of 15.78s at the German Disability Championships in Sildelfingen. In 2010 she improved on both her 100m and 200m times, recording 15.10 in the 100m at the Tunis Open, while in the 200m she ran 31.31 at the same event. Woodward also began running competitively in the 400m in 2010, posting a time of 1:13.8 at the Perivale Sports Grand Prix. Woodward first represented England in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, coming 6th in the T37 100m.
In 2011, Woodward was selected for the Great Britain team to compete in the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, entering the T37 200m and 400m races. Although she did not win a medal in the 200m, she recorded a personal best of 69.21 in the 400m final taking the gold medal. In 2012 she recorded personal bests in both the 100m and 200m sprints, and qualified for the Great Britain team for the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
On 5 September 2012, she won a silver medal in the 200m T37 at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
2013
Woodward won silver in the 200m at the IPC World Championships in Lyon after finishing fourth in the 100m.
2014
Woodward switched to long jump to compete for England at the Commonwealth Games and won silver with a new personal best of 4.00m.
After suffering with injury, Woodward withdrew from the 100m at the IPC European Championships, but came back to win bronze in the 400m.
Personal life
Woodward is coached by long-term boyfriend and four-time British javelin champion Lee Doran.