Professional Sports Group

Shelly Woods is one of Great Britain’s best young talents for the Paralympic Games in London in 2012.

Shelly suffered a spinal cord Injury (T12-L1) from a 20ft fall from a tree aged 11. She was always an active youngster and after her accident she decided to sample a few sports such as wheelchair basketball and swimming but she enjoyed wheelchair athletics the most.

In 2004 at only 18 years of age Shelly started to make a name for herself with some exceptional performances in road races - 2nd in the Great North Run, 2nd in the Manchester Run and she won the Mini London Marathon setting a new course record of 11mins 57 seconds.

After her achievements on the road, Shelly tried track racing in the 800m, 1500m and 5000m. In her first season on the track she had some very good performances and represented Great Britain.

In 2005 Shelly continued to progress rapidly and her results continued to be impressive, winning the Great North Run and finishing second in the Great Manchester Run but her outstanding performance of the year was in her first ever marathon – the London Marathon – where she came second!  She was the first British athlete to cross the finish line in all these events.

Shelly also had good performances on the track in 2005 where she won a bronze medal at the European Championships in the 5000m.

Often referred to as ‘the next Tanni Grey-Thompson’, Shelly actually broke Tanni’s 5000m British record in June 2005 to add to her list of British records – she is the current record holder at 800m, 1500m, 5000m and marathon.

Last year was Shelly’s best yet. Following her win in the Los Angeles marathon in March, Shelly put in a superb performance to win the London Marathon in April.  Then in June she won the NYC 10km, breaking another of Tanni’s records in the process.

At the Paralympics in Beijing Shelly competed in more events than any other female athlete coming away with a silver in the 1500m and a bronze in the 5000m. Thrilled with her results in Beijing Shelly is looking to go one better by winning Gold at the London Paralympic Games in 2012 when she will still only be 26 years old!

2008   Silver – 1500m, Paralympics, Beijing
2008   Bronze – 5000m, Paralympics, Beijing
2008   4th – Marathon, Paralympics, Beijing
2008   5th – 800m, Paralympics, Beijing
2008   3rd – Padova Marathon, Italy (British Record)
2008   3rd – London Marathon
2007   2nd - New York City Marathon
2007   1st – Great North Run, Newcastle
2007   1st – Tyne Tunnel Race, Newcastle
2007  1500m special event, World Championships, Osaka
2007  1st – NK 10km, New York
2007  1st - Oensingen Marathon, Switzerland
2007  Silver – 800m, Paralympic World Cup
2007  1st – London Marathon
2007  1st – Los Angeles Marathon
2006  2nd – NYC Marathon
2006  2nd – Great North Run
2006  2nd – 800m European Championships, Gothenburg
2006  2nd – 10km Rolling Rampage, Canada
2006  2nd – London Marathon
2006  1st - Paris Marathon
2005  1st - Redcar 10 mile
2005  Champions Track meet, Warm Springs
2005  2nd - London Marathon
2005  2nd - The Great Manchester Race
2005  Bronze - IPC Open European Championships 5000m
2005  1st - Great North Run (new course record)
2004  1st - London Mini Marathon (new course record)
2004  International Track Meeting Bron, France
2004  British Open, Birmingham 1500m
2004  2nd - The Great Manchester Run
2004  2nd - Great North Run

British Record Holder in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m and Marathon