Shirley Robertson OBE, Double Olympic gold medallist
Born: Dundee, Scotland
Lives: Cowes, Isle of Wight
Shirley started sailing at the age of 7 in a Mirror Miracle on Loch Ard in the Trossachs in Scotland, with her father who built the dinghy from a kit in their garage at home.
At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Shirley won her first gold medal on Sydney Harbour in the single handed Europe class. After this she switched her attentions to helming a three person keelboat, the Yngling, which rewarded her in 2004 with a historical second gold medal at Athens. This made Shirley the first British female athlete to win gold medals at consecutive Olympic Games.
Shirley gave birth in July 2006 to twins, Annabel and Killian. Shirley is now concentrating on exciting new projects including future Olympic sailing, media work and competing in the Extreme 40s circuit with her two year old twins cheering her on. Read more |