Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain’s most distinguished Paralympic athlete, is to compete in her first triathlon, the Timex WomenOnly Triathlon, on Saturday 12th July at the 2012 Olympic venue, Dorney Lake, Eton.

Grey-Thompson, who was born with spina bifida and has no trunk movement, has had to learn to swim properly in order to participate in the event. ‘If I can do it, anyone can,’ says Grey-Thompson, 38, who retired from international competition last year after winning 11 Paralympic gold medals. Her achievements include 16 Paralympic medals – 11 gold, four silver and one bronze - six London Marathon titles and numerous world records in an exemplary career spanning two decades. In 2005 she was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2005 in recognition of her achievements.

Grey-Thompson had wanted to compete in a triathlon for some time but training and racing commitments prevented her. Late last year she was asked to be the guest speaker at the British Triathlon Association’s (BTA) annual dinner and the idea became reality.

Grey-Thompson will compete in the country’s biggest women only race at Dorney Lake, Eton, the same venue that will host the rowing and flat-water canoeing events at the London 2012 Olympics.

Born in Cardiff in July 1969 Grey-Thompson quickly became involved in as many sports as possible. But not swimming. She was eight when she first got into a pool. ‘I learnt not to drown,’ she recalls. ‘I can do doggie paddle and a bit of breaststroke and backstroke but I can’t swim properly,’ she says.

As always Grey-Thompson’s participation is likely to inspire others to give triathlon, one of the Olympic sports at this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing, a go. ‘People don’t realise it will be really hard for me,’ she says.

’Having an athlete of the calibre of Tanni Grey-Thompson taking part is a real honour,’ said John Lunt, Director of Human Race, organizers of the Timex WomenOnly race. ‘I hope it will also show other women that triathlon is within reach of everyone and that they too can see what it’s like to have fun and take part in an Olympic sport. We are delighted to be hosting an event which, thanks to the support of TIMEX, it continues to be the biggest of its kind in the country. Now in its third year, we are expecting over a thousand competitors which is a real reflection of the growth in popularity of triathlon’.