# Emma Wiggs > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Emma_Wiggs > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Emma_Wiggs.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Wiggs > Source revision: 1326083664 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Emma Clare Wiggs** (born 14 June 1980) is a British [paracanoeist](/source/Paracanoe) and former [sitting volleyball](/source/Sitting_volleyball) player, who competes in the [KL2](/source/KL2_Paracanoe_Classification) classification of paracanoe. She won gold at the [2016 Summer Paralympics](/source/2016_Summer_Paralympics) in the KL2 category, gold and silver at the [2020 Summer Paralympics](/source/2020_Summer_Paralympics) in VL2 and KL2 categories, and is also an eleven-time world champion. As a volleyball player she was part of the Great Britain team that competed at the [2012 Summer Paralympics](/source/Volleyball_at_the_2012_Summer_Paralympics). ## Background Wiggs was born in [Harrow](/source/Harrow,_London), London and grew up in [Watford](/source/Watford).[2] She attended [Watford Grammar School for Girls](/source/Watford_Grammar_School_for_Girls).[3] At the age of 18 she contracted an unidentified virus during a [gap year](/source/Gap_year) in Australia which caused [paralysis](/source/Paralysis) in her arms and legs. Her arms later recovered, but she had permanent [nerve damage](/source/Nerve_injury) in her legs.[2][4] Wiggs graduated from the [University of Chichester](/source/University_of_Chichester) with a degree in sports and exercise sciences in 2003, and went on to qualify as a teacher by gaining the [Postgraduate Certificate in Education](/source/Postgraduate_Certificate_in_Education) in 2004.[5] She worked as a [physical education](/source/Physical_education) teacher at [Lavant House](/source/Lavant_House) (the school is now closed) in Chichester and [The Regis School](/source/The_Regis_School) in Bognor Regis before becoming a full-time athlete.[6] ## Career Wiggs took up sitting volleyball in 2010 after attending a UK Sport talent identification day, where she was offered the opportunity to train in five different sports but chose sitting volleyball because she wanted to compete in a team sport.[6] She captained the Great Britain team which won the bronze medal at the 2010 World Championships in the second division, coming 11th overall.[7] and was a member of the team that competed at the [2012 Summer Paralympics](/source/Volleyball_at_the_2012_Summer_Paralympics), finishing eighth.[8] At club level she played for Portsmouth Sharks.[9] Wiggs switched to paracanoeing after the 2012 Paralympics. She became a full-time athlete, training at the [Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre](/source/Holme_Pierrepont_National_Watersports_Centre) in Nottingham,[10] and won European and World Championship titles in the K1 200m TA class in 2013.[11][8] In 2014, she successfully defended both titles, and also won gold at the World Championships and silver at the European Championships in the V1W 200m TA class.[8][12] She won further world titles in the K1 200m KL2 class in 2015 and 2016,[nb 1][8] and also won the silver medal at the 2015 European Championships.[13] Wiggs won gold in the KL2 class at the [2016 Summer Paralympics](/source/2016_Summer_Paralympics), the first Paralympics to feature canoeing events, with a time of 53.288 seconds.[14] At the [2020 Paralympics](/source/Paracanoeing_at_the_2020_Summer_Paralympics) she became the most successful Female Paracanoest, winning a further Gold in the VL2 and Silver in the KL2.[15] She then continued her success with Gold and Silver at the [Paracanoe Worlds](/source/2021_ICF_Canoe_Sprint_World_Championships) in the VL2 and KL2. At the [2024 Summer Paralympics](/source/2024_Summer_Paralympics), she won a gold in [women's paracanoeing va'a VL2](/source/Paracanoeing_at_the_2024_Summer_Paralympics) and a silver in [women's paracanoeing kayak KL2](/source/Paracanoeing_at_the_2024_Summer_Paralympics).[16] ## Career outside Sport Wiggs is a motivational speaker, ambassador and mentor. She has been chosen as one of 35 elite female athletes for the ‘Unlocked’ initiative, set up by [Women’s Sports Trust](/source/Women%E2%80%99s_Sports_Trust), with the aim of challenging the lack of diversity in sport, particularly at a senior level; she is a performance champion at [Vitality](/source/Vitality), and she is also working in partnership with [Caravan and Motorhome Club](/source/Caravan_and_Motorhome_Club) supporting disabled access. Wiggs was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education by the [University of Chichester](/source/University_of_Chichester) in 2017.[17] Wiggs is openly lesbian.[18] ## Notes 1. The International Canoe Federation reclassified the TA category as the KL2 category from 2015 onwards.[19] ## References 1. ["New Year's Honours list 2017"](https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/580999/new-years-honours-2017-full-list.pdf). *[Gov.uk](/source/Gov.uk)*. [Government Digital Service](/source/Government_Digital_Service). 30 December 2016. p. 91. Retrieved 31 December 2016. 1. ["Emma Wiggs"](https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/olympic-paralympic/team/emma-wiggs/). British Canoeing. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. Perring, Rebecca (12 September 2012). ["Haitian Paralympic team's thrilling visit to Watford Grammar School for Girls"](http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9925337.School_plays_host_to_Paralympic_team/?ref=rss). *Watford Observer*. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. ["Rio 2016 Paralympics: Emma Wiggs aims for gold in Para-canoeing"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/37361596). BBC Sport. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016. 1. Hiles, Rosie (6 September 2016). ["Alumna Emma Wiggs is ready for Rio!"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161216153403/http://social.chi.ac.uk/number-rio2016/alumna-emma-wiggs-is-ready-for-rio). University of Chichester. Archived from [the original](http://social.chi.ac.uk/number-rio2016/alumna-emma-wiggs-is-ready-for-rio) on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. ["Teacher Emma's life has been changed by 2012 Paralympics bid"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160923155040/http://www.bognor.co.uk/sport/more-sport/teacher-emma-s-life-has-been-changed-by-2012-paralympics-bid-1-2489428). *Bognor Regis Observer*. 15 March 2011. Archived from [the original](http://www.bognor.co.uk/sport/more-sport/teacher-emma-s-life-has-been-changed-by-2012-paralympics-bid-1-2489428) on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. Foster, Sarah (11 October 2011). ["Giving up never crossed my mind"](http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/lifestyle/giving-up-never-crossed-my-mind-1-3138113). *Portsmouth News*. Retrieved 19 September 2016. 1. ["PROFILE: Emma Wiggs (GBR) KL2W 200m"](http://www.canoeicf.com/news/profile-emma-wiggs-gbr-kl2w-200m). *International Canoe Federation*. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. ["Portsmouth Sharks star selected for Paralympics – The News"](http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/volleyball/portsmouth-sharks-star-selected-for-paralympics-1-3631282). *Portsmouth News*. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. ["Rio 2016: Emma Wiggs targets Para-canoe place after switching from volleyball"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/35696600). BBC News. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016. 1. ["GB Paracanoeists win five European Championship golds"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/22912961). BBC Sport. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2016. 1. ["Best ever medal haul for GB Paracanoe team at Sprint European Championships"](http://www.efds.co.uk/news/793-best-ever-medal-haul-for-gb-paracanoe-team-at-sprint-european-championships). *English Federation of Disability Sport*. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2016. 1. ["Emma Wiggs"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170111232818/http://rio.paralympics.org.uk/meet-the-team/athlete-profile/emma-wiggs). *Rio 2016*. Archived from [the original](http://rio.paralympics.org.uk/meet-the-team/athlete-profile/emma-wiggs) on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. Steinberg, Jacob (15 September 2016). ["Chippington, Wiggs and Dickins clinch ParalympicsGB canoeing golds"](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/15/jeanette-chippington-emma-wiggs-canoe-gold-paralympics-gb-rio-2016). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 1. ["GB win three Paralympic golds and pass 100-medal mark - day 10 round-up"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/58431290). *BBC Sport*. Retrieved 17 September 2021. 1. Holmes, Jon. ["Gay Paralympics paddler Emma Wiggs posts tribute to her wife"](https://www.outsports.com/2024/9/12/24101388/emma-wiggs-paris-paralympics-canoeing-team-lgbtq-gay-wife-anniversary-message/). *OutSports*. Retrieved 2024-10-13. 1. ["Honorary Awards"](https://www.chi.ac.uk/alumni/honorary-awards/). *University of Chichester*. Retrieved 2025-06-11. 1. Holmes, Jon. ["Gay Paralympics paddler Emma Wiggs posts tribute to her wife"](https://www.outsports.com/2024/9/12/24101388/emma-wiggs-paris-paralympics-canoeing-team-lgbtq-gay-wife-anniversary-message/). *OutSports*. Retrieved 2024-10-13. 1. ["Paracanoeing"](http://www.worldpaddleawards.com/organisation/paracanoeing). *World Paddle Awards*. Retrieved 17 September 2016. ## External links - [Official website](http://emmawiggs.co.uk) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Emma Wiggs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Wiggs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Wiggs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.