Black British Sports Stars 

Written By Avila Chidume

Today BLAM UK honours the incredible achievements of contemporary Black British Sports Stars!

Let’s shine a spotlight on their remarkable accomplishments across various fields and applaud the profound impact they’ve had on British society. Join us as we shower these present-day heroes with well-deserved recognition and pay homage to their outstanding successes! 

Let’s kick off with football:

Name: Marcus Rashford (26)

Heritage: Jamaican and St Kittitian

Profession: Footballer and Activist 

Rashford is known nationally as a changemaker due to his active work addressing racism in the UK, childhood poverty, homelessness and child hunger. Rashford has spoken at great lengths about his early years and experiences with poverty in Manchester and why he is passionate about campaigning. This has landed him recognition globally, with Time 100 recognising him as one of the most influential people of 2021.

Achievements: 

• Youngest English player to score at his first international match in 2016. 
• Youngest player at the UEFA Euros 2016.
• Youngest recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester for his work combating child poverty in the UK. 
• Expert Panel Special Award in the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
• Campaigner Of The Year in the 2020 GQ Men Of The Year. 

Now let’s enter the boxing ring:

Name: Anthony Joshua (34)

Heritage: Nigerian and Irish

Profession: Boxer 

Joshua only began boxing at the age of 18. Before pursuing boxing professionally, Joshua worked as a bricklayer whilst still doing amateur boxing matches. He was inspired by his cousin, Gbenga Ileyemi, the 2011 ABA heavyweight champion. Alongside crowded matches, Joshua can often be seen on screens modelling for well known brands such as BOSS.

Achievements:  

• Competed in the 2012 London Olympics before turning professional.
• Won Team GB’s final medal during the Olympic games.
• Won Gold in the super heavyweight category at just 22 years old. 
• First British heavyweight to win gold at the Olympics.
• First British heavyweight to win a world title by a major professional sanctioning body.

Next we sprint to: 

Name: Karé Adenegan (23)

Heritage: British Nigerian

Profession: Wheelchair sprint distances in T34 racing 

Adenegan was born with Diplegic Cerebral Palsy, a genetic condition impacting her lower limbs and mobility. Adenegan is outspoken about how this condition impacted her physical education as a child. Adenegan continues to advocate for greater inclusion for people living with disabilities within sports. She speaks at various national events and via her podcast ‘Sporting for His Glory’, a podcast sharing stories about Christians in the sports world. 

Achievements: 

• At just 14 years old, won double bronze at the IPC Athletics World Championships 2015.
• At just 17 years old, Adenegan set a new world record in the Women’s T34 100m with a time of just 16.8 seconds. 
• Won a gold medal in the Berlin European Championships 2018. 
• Won bronze and silver in the Rio Paralympics 2016.
• During the World Championships in London 2017 won silver and bronze. 
• Won two silver medals in the 2019 World Para-Athletics Championships. 
• Won two silver medals during the 2023 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
• Won two silver medals during the 2023 World Para-Athletics Championships.
• Named BBC Young Sports Personality of the year 2018.

Watch Adenegan talk about her experiences here: 

Time to relay to another record maker: 

Name: Dina Asher-Smith (28) 

Heritage: Jamaican and Trinidadian 

Profession: Sprinter

Asher-Smith’s multifaceted achievements make her an icon both on, and off the track, inspiring generations with her talent and determination. From an early age, Asher-Smith showcased her talent, setting a world best time for the 300m at just 13 years old. She is often referred to as the ‘world’s fastest teenager’ after competing at the European Indoor Championships. Asher-Smith is seen as a true role model and celebrated internationally by girls and women alike. 

Achievements: 

• At just 13 years old, she ran a world best time for 300m (39.16).
• Declared ‘world’s fastest teenager ever over 60m and 200m’ winning silver at the European Indoor Championships in Prague.
• Aged 17, Dina was the youngest athlete on the British team for the IAAF World T&F Championships in Moscow 2013.
• Holds British records in the 100m and 200m races. 
• Is the first British woman to win a world title.
• Holds records in the European Junior Indoor record for 200m. 
• Youngest ever female World Championship relay medallist.
• Broke records at the World Championships in Beijing during the 200m and 4x100m.
• Walked for Off-White during Paris Fashion Week 2018.

Let’s change gears and drive over to: 

Name: Lewis Hamilton (39)

Heritage: Grenadian and British 

Profession: Race-car driver 

Hamilton is known globally for annihilating expectations and his refusal to conform to stereotypes. Since Hamilton was a child he has been redefining what a Formula 1 (F1) driver looks like and who can be one. Being the first Black driver in F1 has inspired him to launch a commission, in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, aimed at identifying ways to encourage more Black people to participate in the British motorsport industry. Since launching in 2020, the Hamilton Commission has worked to provide recommendations to make engineering more inclusive and accessible. Hamilton also founded the charity Mission 44, which works to make a fairer, more inclusive world for young people by investing in solutions to empower young people to overcome social injustice. 

Achievements: 

• Aged 8 years old began karting. 
• Aged 13 was the youngest driver contracted by an F1 team- ‘greatest rookie performances in F1 history’. 
• As a teen, won the British Karting Championship in the Cadet Class.
• First Black person to drive in F1.
• Youngest ever 30th F1 World Champion.
• First ever driver to record 100 grand prix victories.
• Has won seven championships.
• In 2008 was the first Black driver to win the F1 world drivers’ championship.

Now we swim over to: 

Name: Alice Dearing (26)

Heritage: Ghanaian and British 

Profession: Swimmer

Dearing made history in 2021 when she was announced to be Team GB’s first ever Black female swimmer at the Olympics. Since she was six years old, Dearing has been an avid swimmer and has not allowed barriers to get in her way. She regularly speaks on  and writes about her experiences. Dearing’s experiences have resulted in her founding the ‘Black Swimming Association’, a charitable organisation dedicated to encouraging more Black people to take up swimming and advocating for water safety and inclusion. 

Achievements: 

• World and European Junior Champion 2016.
• Team GB’s first Black female Swimmer 2021 Olympic Games.
• Olympic Marathon Swimmer.
• The Sunday Times Changemaker Of The Year award 2022.
• Sports Journalist of the Year award 2022.
• Listed third on the BBC’s Woman’s Hour Power list 2023. 

LETS CONCLUDE BY RIDING OFF INTO THE SUNSET:

Name: Khadijah Mellah (24)

Heritage: Kenyan and Algerian

Profession: Jockey 

Mellah is a competitive British horse racer, who made history by becoming the first jockey to wear a hijab. More impressively, she won the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood whilst completing her A-Levels! Mellah’s story has been so inspiring that a TV series documenting her journey is available to watch: Riding A Dream. Mellah has made sure to leave the door wide open for other hijabi  women to pursue their riding dreams, through her ‘Riding A Dream Academy’ and scholarships. 

Achievements:  

• Made history as the first Hijabi jockey. 
• Winner of the Magnolia Cup 2019.
• The Times Young Sportswoman of the Year 2019.
• Founded ‘The Riding A Dream Academy’ and the Khadijah Mellah Scholarship in 2021.