Former equestrian turns para-canoeist, set to race for Britain in Poland

Saffron Cresswell, once a full-time event rider from Malvern, Worcestershire, suffered a spinal cord injury in 2024 that left her paralysed. Determined to find a new purpose, she tried several adaptive sports before taking up para-canoeing at Leamington Spa Canoe Club on the River Leam last December. Her rapid development earned her a place on the Great Britain squad for the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Para-Canoe World Championships in Poznan, Poland, running from Wednesday to Sunday.

Cresswell highlighted the technical parallels between riding and paddling and expressed excitement about wearing the GB kit. Supported by her family and the Women's Sport Trust's Unlocked programme, she now aims toward a future Paralympic berth.