Inspirational Paralympian gives 100% in new exhibition

A photography exhibition dedicated to Northumbria alumnus Stephen Miller comes to Sport Central this September.

Stephen, who won three back-to-back Paralympic Gold medals and recently picked up Silver at the European Championships in Wales, graduated from the University with a Business Information Systems degree in 2002.

New exhibition, 100% Stephen Miller, by photographer Dan Prince, goes on display this September following its successful launch at Gateshead International Stadium last month. The exhibition is divided into five sections and includes training sessions at Gateshead and Stoke Mandeville, the home of Paralympian sport, as well as behind-the-scenes moments of Stephen relaxing at home with his family.

Stephen said: “Dan did a great job. It’s every aspect of my work. Everybody knows what I do, but the other stuff is what people don’t see normally. Everybody sees that moment with the gold medal; they don’t see all the work that goes on behind that.”

He added: “It’s not easy to get used to somebody being in your home, but I’m quite comfortable getting photographed.”

Dan originally planned an exhibition about several Paralympians, but after approaching Stephen realised his inspirational life merited a project on its own.

“It all started as I wanted to photograph Paralympians in the North East,” Dan explained. “Stephen was one of the people I contacted and after meeting him he let me come along to a session at Speedflex in Jesmond. Stephen was such an inspiring character that I asked to photograph him training at Gateshead Stadium.

“He told me about Stoke Mandeville being the birth place of Paralympics and he had a competition coming up, so I drove down to capture that, as well as training at Sports Academy too. After that, he received the Freedom to Gateshead and I thought the project would be complete by photographing him at home.

“As the project grew I thought it would make a good exhibition. It has all just taken its own natural path and everything has been very coincidental as it’s evolved. I felt it was a very good opportunity to bring people, companies and organisations together and show sport and disability to the public and inspire people in the North East.

“We aim to show the exhibition in as many areas, schools, organisations in the North East for the rest of this year and beyond if possible.”

Stephen, whose athletics career includes 25 international medals for Great Britain, including Gold at Atlanta in 1996, where he became Britain’s youngest ever winner, said he was comfortable being in front of the camera, but that his family were a little more nervous. The title of the exhibition refers to Stephen’s intensive training regime and also to his desire to inspire others.

He added: “The idea of the exhibition is to try to inspire people to be the best they can be and give 100%. That’s the message we want to get out, especially to young people.”

100% Stephen Miller will be at Sport Central, Northumbria University, from September 15 to October 26.

To view images from the exhibition and for more information go to: www.danprince.co.uk

Northumbria has been rated among the best universities for sport in the UK and offers a wide range of courses. Visitwww.northumbria.ac.uk to find out more.