Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox on racing in Chapeltown, TV stardom and 'amazing' Leeds support

"Leeds, Leeds, Leeds!" said Kadeena Cox, as she picked up the phone to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
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The Paralympic gold-medalist, world record breaker and Celebrity Masterchef champion has a raft of incredible accolades to her name - as one of the many sporting greats to come out of the city.

But she humbly insists that none of it would have been possible without the support of the Leeds community and her devoted family who have been cheering her on throughout her career.

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Kadeena, 30, grew up in Chapeltown where she spent her childhood flying around the streets, beating the boys who dared to challenge her to a race.

Leeds Paralympian Kadeena Cox, 30, pictured as she announces a new partnership with EatLean cheeseLeeds Paralympian Kadeena Cox, 30, pictured as she announces a new partnership with EatLean cheese
Leeds Paralympian Kadeena Cox, 30, pictured as she announces a new partnership with EatLean cheese

She said: "I was known as the fast girl, I walked at seven months old and I really enjoyed running. It’s such a freeing thing.

"I did every sport but the sports that included running were always the ones that I loved."

When she wasn't training, Kadeena spent her childhood in her mum's food businesses Paradise Restaurant and Terry’s Takeaway.

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It ignited a love for Caribbean food that would later impress Masterchef judges Greg Wallace and John Torode.

Kadeena smashed a world record as a para-cyclist in the Tokyo Paralympics, as well as making the track for the T38 400m despite struggling with injuries (Photo: John Walton/PA Wire)Kadeena smashed a world record as a para-cyclist in the Tokyo Paralympics, as well as making the track for the T38 400m despite struggling with injuries (Photo: John Walton/PA Wire)
Kadeena smashed a world record as a para-cyclist in the Tokyo Paralympics, as well as making the track for the T38 400m despite struggling with injuries (Photo: John Walton/PA Wire)

Still a keen cook, she has recently been announced as the new ambassador for Eatlean cheese - and regularly shares her skills on social media.

Kadeena added: "I used to eat curried goat, rice and peas, brown stewed chicken, fried chicken, ackee and saltfish.

"It was only when we got a bit older that mum started playing around with a shepherd’s pie and toad in the hole.

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“I remember finishing school and raiding the drawer where all the patties were in the shop and my mum would tell me to get out of there!”

Kadeena said the support of the Leeds community helped her to get back into sport after her MS diagnosis (Photo: Tony Johnson)Kadeena said the support of the Leeds community helped her to get back into sport after her MS diagnosis (Photo: Tony Johnson)
Kadeena said the support of the Leeds community helped her to get back into sport after her MS diagnosis (Photo: Tony Johnson)
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Taking up competitive sprinting aged 15, after her hockey coach suggested she try the sport, Kadeena excelled in many national championships and was vying for a place on the British skeleton team.

But in May 2014, Kadeena was rushed to hospital after suffering a life-changing stroke.

Later that year, the symptoms reappeared and after extensive tests she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Kadeena, pictured with the Queen during the Tokyo Paralympics, was made OBE in the 2022 New Years Honours List for her achievements in athletics and cycling (Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)Kadeena, pictured with the Queen during the Tokyo Paralympics, was made OBE in the 2022 New Years Honours List for her achievements in athletics and cycling (Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)
Kadeena, pictured with the Queen during the Tokyo Paralympics, was made OBE in the 2022 New Years Honours List for her achievements in athletics and cycling (Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)
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Just 48 hours later, Kadeena began fundraising to help get her back into sport - intent on making the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio.

“It was the support of my family and my faith that got me through," she said.

"I’m Christian and realising there was purpose in the situation I was in kept me going.

"The Leeds community really got behind me, everyone was donating to help me get back into sport.

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“Towards the end, when I wasn’t sure if I would make it, Micah Richards offered to pay the last bit and get it over the line.

"If I hadn’t raised all the money I said I was going to raise, I wouldn’t have got any of it.

“But another person from the community got there before he did.”

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Kadeena was not only selected to compete for Team GB in Rio, but came away with a new world-record in the T38 400m, a silver in the T35-38 4x100m relay and a bronze in the T38 100m.

Last summer, she smashed a world record as a para-cyclist in the Tokyo Paralympics, as well as making the track for the T38 400m despite struggling with injuries in the lead-up to the event.

She said: "It’s a weird one, but my proudest moment was being able to get fourth place in the 400m.

"My cycling went well, Rio had gone well and I’d had so many amazing performances, but that performance took mental and physical strength - trying to defend the title when you haven’t had the training and been injured pretty much all year.

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“It was one of the hardest moments of my life because I was gutted, I wanted to defend my title, but I was also so proud of myself for turning up in the way I did.”

Kadeena was appointed MBE in 2017 for her services to athletics and OBE in the 2022 New Years Honours List for her achievements in athletics and cycling.

Being recognised by the Queen was "really special", Kadeena said, and she hopes to use the recognition to continue to empower others.

“The support in Leeds has always been amazing," she added.

“From the younger generation that I’m able to empower, the people running the youth clubs who are saying I’m doing great things for the community and asking me to come in, the people who knock on my mum’s door to drop off flowers, to the mayor sending me a letter.

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“All those things help me to keep going, knowing that I’m helping my community."

From the track to to the tele

As well as her achievements on the track, Kadeena has become a familiar face on the screen - coming away with the Celebrity Masterchef 2021 crown, as well as appearing on I'm A Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here.

Kadeena was able to open up about her struggle with disordered eating and raise awareness of MS in the Castle, conversations she didn't expect to have.

“I met some amazing people who changed my life forever," she said.

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"But I also loved the fact that I was able to impact the MS community and get conversations started around eating disorders.

“The biggest challenge was the cold, it was freezing in there. And the challenge of having different people from different backgrounds and different age ranges, being with them constantly.

“But weirdly we all really got on, considering how different we were.”

Advice for aspiring sports stars

Kadeena's incredible determination is something to be admired, and she shared her advice for aspiring sports stars.

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"My first advice would be find a sport that you love," she said.

“Then when you’re a little bit older you can focus on excelling.

"One of the key things you want to keep in your sport, even at an elite level, is that enjoyment - if you lose that, you lose part of your performance.

“Enjoy it first and then focus on being a gold medalist later on."

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