Sponsors of the C4 London 2012 Paralympic Games site
29th August - 9th September
Clare Balding
Clare Balding
About Clare
If it’s sport and it’s on TV then the chances are Clare has covered it.
She has presented at multiple Olympic and Paralympics for BBC TV, was at Atlanta 1996 for Radio 5, fronts the BBC’s racing coverage, and has also covered rugby league, three-day-eventing, show-jumping, swimming, golf, tennis, bowls, darts and the Winter Olympics.
Not just a sport aficionado, she has presented Ramblings on Radio 4 since 1999 and covered Crufts for Channel 4.
Did you know? Clare was a leading amateur jockey before making the jump to broadcasting.
I've been to enough Paralympics to know the performances will be outstanding - Clare BaldingQ & A
Q. Who do you think will be the star of the 2012 Paralympics?
A. I hope the familiar names - Sarah Storey, Lee Pearson, David Weir, Dave Roberts and Ellie Simmonds - will shine again but it's always tougher to stay at the top than it was to get there. I don't think there will be one star but a galaxy of them. I remember in Beijing going out to watch Rachel Morris win gold in the hand cycling road race and she said: "I never thought I would be able to feel like this again." I am really looking forward to watching her compete again.
Q. Which event – or which athlete – are you most looking forward to watching and why?
A. So hard. I love it all - athletics, swimming, equestrian, wheelchair basketball & rugby, cycling, hand cycling - there's so much to enjoy and in every event there's a reason to care & to cheer for a British athlete. In terms of the international stars, I'm looking forward to watching Oscar Pistorius on the track, Natalie du Toit in the pool and former F1 driver Alex Zanardi in the hand cycling. That is an incredibly tough sport.
Q. Which of the ParalympicsGB team do you think will surprise us?
A. Sophie Christiansen has been growing in confidence and skill as a rider and could be the new star of the show in dressage.
Q. What aspect of covering the Paralympics are you most excited about?
A. I'm thrilled to be part of it all and am looking forward to working with a new team and hoping that we will grow in confidence together. It's an exciting challenge.
Q. What is your biggest fear about the Games?
A. Oh, the usual - transport, security and me messing up on air. I'm not at all worried about ticket sales and I've been to enough Paralympics to know the performance levels will be outstanding.
Q. Tell us something about another member of the C4Paralympics team.
A. When she asked what he did, Ade told a girl he was chatting up to "Google me, baby". Arthur's house got flooded and everything is ruined - he may use this as a sympathy ploy.
Q. The GB team won 42 golds last time, how many will they get at London 2012?
A. I'd expect home advantage to prove a significant advantage and 50 golds has a great ring to it, but it'll be tough.
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