Middlesex University congratulates former student on striking gold in Paralympic record time

Neuroscience graduate seals first individual Paralympic title with amazing win for Team GB in 100m backstroke

Middlesex University graduate and Paralympic swimmer Alice Tai MBE struck gold with a winning performance in the women’s 100m S8 backstroke on the opening weekend of the Paris Games. Her achievement was followed by another gold medal in the women's 50m S8 freestyle as well as a silver and two bronze medals. 

Alice, who graduated last year with a first class BSc Honours in Neuroscience, triumphed in the backstroke event with a Paralympic record time of one minute 09.06 seconds. The 25-year-old, who won medals in all five events she competed in at Paris, dominated the race, winning by nearly six seconds ahead of the silver medallist.

“A lot of people know that it has not been the easiest few years so to come here and swim a time that I’m really happy with just means so much and to get my first individual gold at the Paralympics is super special,” she said of her win.

It comes after a difficult few years for Alice who was born with bilateral talipes, or club foot. A relay gold medallist at Rio 2016, she missed the Tokyo Games in 2021 due to injury.

The following year she decided to have a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg after many years of walking on crutches and enduring invasive treatments and painful rehabilitation. This procedure meant Alice had to learn an entirely new stroke to adapt to the loss of part of her limb.

“I’ve had six surgeries on three different limbs over two and a half years, and a lot has happened in my personal life. Just being here, I feel like I’ve made myself proud and made everyone supporting me proud,” she said.

Away from the swimming pool, Alice initially chose to study music but later changed her mind and applied to study neuroscience at Middlesex University. She always “loved the concept of neuroscience”, and was impressed by the University’s record of nurturing top sporting students such as British taekwondo star Lutalo Muhammad.

“I saw there had been a few people from Middlesex who had gone to the Olympics before so I knew there was a support system in place if I needed it as a professional athlete.

"It is always a bit of a challenge managing studies alongside training, but Middlesex have been great in supporting me.” 

Alice Tai MBE

Dr Charalambos Magoulas, Programme Leader in Neuroscience and one of Alice’s tutors, said: “We are all very proud of Alice and would like to congratulate her.”

He said Alice had difficulties attending classes due to her medical condition, and had considered quitting her course at one point.

“I encouraged her to carry on and all the Middlesex team provided her with the appropriate support she needed,” added Dr Magoulas.

“With characteristic self-determination and persistence, she managed to graduate with first class honours and continue her training for the Paralympics. An appropriate quote for Alice is ‘who persists, wins’.”

That determination has seen Alice become a nine-time world champion who has won medals in Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth events.

Alice was awarded an MBE in 2017 for services to swimming. Outside of her sport and in addition to her interest in neuroscience, Alice enjoys art and is in a band called BLUSH! She hopes to release more songs after the Paris Games.

Find out more about Middlesex University’s Olympians and Paralympians

Find out more about studying Neuroscience BSc Honours