Image source: olympic.org [1]
Considered one of the greatest rowers and Olympians of all time, Steve Redgrave has devoted much of his life to the sport. Born and raised in Great Britain, Redgrave was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 10 and it challenged him all throughout his schooling. He remembers feeling “stupid” and discouraged when he didn’t pass the 11-plus, a test administered at the end of primary school that determines which grammar school a student will attend. However, it is at his grammar school where he was first introduced to rowing by his English teacher, who was also the head coach for the team. Redgrave says that if it wasn’t for his coach, he would have never been a rower. Out on the water is where he found his niche, and began spending the majority of his time practicing. Starting in 1984, he competed and won gold in 5 consecutive Olympic games, the only person to have ever achieved the impressive feat. In addition to his dyslexia, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1992 as well as type 2 diabetes in 1997. Now married to woman rower Ann Callaway, Redgrave has made a lasting impact on the sport of rowing and shown the world his incredible dedication and perseverance.
You can visit Steve Redgrave’s fund for dyslexia here [2], or read more about other dyslexic Olympians on this page [3].