Presenting medals at the Olympic Games is something Sarah Walker has now got down pat – but emotions got the better of her when she put a gold medal around Dame Lisa Carrington’s neck on Saturday.
Sarah Walker. Photo: Jeremy Smith.
The Cambridge-based International Olympic Committee (IOC) member could barely disguise her delight as she did the honours again – she presented two of Carrington’s gold medals at Tokyo three years ago.
The old friends hugged but the commentator got it slightly wrong when he mistook the other IOC member for Walker.
Walker and Carrington go back a long way even though they are in different sports – Walker in BMX and Carrington in canoe racing. They have both been athlete ambassadors for Beef and Lamb for more than a decade.
Walker was last month elected as an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member at the IOC Session in Paris.
The role saw Walker become part of the governing body responsible for overseeing the Olympic Movement, with IOC members key figures in ensuring the promotion and protection of the Olympic Games and values.
Walker has served on the IOC Athlete’s Commission since 2016, and competed in BMX at both the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, where she placed fourth, and London 2012 where she won the silver medal.
Sarah Walker claimed the elite honours at the National BMX Championships in 2019.
Two-time Olympian, New Zealand tennis star Marcus Daniell was one of 30 athletes standing for four available spots on the IOC and was elected by the 10,500 athletes eligible to vote.
