1960 Paralympic Champion inducted into Stoke Mandeville Hall of Fame

Along with six-time Paralympic Champion David WEIR, Eva LOEFFER OBE – the daughter of Paralympic pioneer Dr Luttwig GUTTMAN – and WheelPower Chairman Mark VESTEY, Margaret MAUGHAN was inducted into the Stoke Mandeville Hall of Fame earlier this week.

“It was a great surprise because it is a long time since I did my active sport,” said MAUGHAN. “But I’m still very involved and still very interested.”

At the first Paralympic Games, Margaret won the women’s Columbia round open competition in Rome. She became both archery’s and Great Britain’s first Paralympic gold medallist.

She scored 484 points for 72-arrow round shot at 50, 40 and 30 yards, according to the International Paralympic Committee’s database.

“I’m proud to have been in at the beginning,” said MAUGHAN.

Her archery career started at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, where she was treated after suffering a road accident in Malawi in 1959, which left her paralysed from the waist down.

“Sir Ludwig himself was my doctor at the hospital. I remember the comradeship, getting to know people; we were really a big family together. Sport was a very big part of my life.”

MAUGHAN also won the 50-metre backstroke-swimming event at the Rome Games, and collected gold and silver medals in both Dartchery and Lawn Bowls at Heidelberg 1972, Toronto 1976 and Arnheim 1980.

Fifty-two years after her Paralympic debut, Margaret lit the cauldron in the Olympic Stadium to mark the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. She also presented medals during competition at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Previous inductees to the Hall of Fame include Sir Ludwig GUTTMAN and IPC President Sir Philip CRAVEN.

The Stoke Mandeville Games were the precursor to the modern Paralympic Games. Stoke Mandeville Stadium continues to support and develop Paralympic sport within the United Kingdom as well as hosting international para sport events.

Learn more about Stoke Mandeville Stadium and WheelPower.