I was busy sunning myself on holiday in Rhodes when I got an email notification: Annabel Kiki, I am delighted to let you know that you’ve been recognised in the RAISE Power 100 in Women’s Sport 2026: a list of individuals shaping the future of the women’s sport industry.
Like what??!!! I scanned the list, the likes of Serena Williams, Emma Hayes, Ian Wright and Karen Carney were on there. What an absolute honour! They’d said I was a powerful voice for inclusion and accessibility in sport and that I was inspiring a new generation to challenge barriers, embrace resilience and believe that sport should be accessible to everyone.
I put down my Shirely Temple and literally did a one legged bomb into the pool with my family! For some reason I found it really funny that little old me was on a list with such epic epic epic people. I am certainly not as important or influential as any of the big names, but I guess it shows that I must be doing something right!
Even just parading around the holiday pool in my bikini with my prosthetic leg on show, then taking it off to proudly bomb in the pool, or showing people on the beach that I too can ride the banana boat, or frantically pedal a pedalo over the waves.
Plus my family did remind me that I’d won the Golden Boot at the very first women’s amputee football World Cup in Colombia and that I’d just got two silver medals at a National Para Swim competition after becoming the County and Regional Champion, not to mention being the only person globally who skies on their Genium X 3 prosthetic leg, so maybe I am indeed playing my part in raising the profile of women’s sport.
Either way I’m incredibly proud of the recognition and I just hope my continued visibility encourages young girls and women to be proud of who they are and to grab every opportunity they’re given.
I truly believe in the idea of; “If you can see it, you can be it.”
