Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey

Professor Vicky Tolfrey is an internationally recognised leader in sports physiology and biomechanics whose pioneering work has transformed Para and disability sport. With more than 30 years’ experience and over £5 million in research funding, she has advanced understanding of how wheelchair athletes interact with their equipment and environment. After completing her PhD in wheelchair racing at Manchester Metropolitan University, she supported athletes at eight Paralympic Games. As Director of Loughborough University’s Centre for Para and Disability Sport Innovation, she has grown the group into a world‑leading team delivering impactful performance, wellbeing and inclusion research across wheelchair athletics, rugby, basketball and tennis. Her work underpinned the University’s 2025 Queen’s Anniversary Prize and has driven ParalympicsGB performance innovations contributing to three consecutive Top Two world rankings. Editor of Wheelchair Sport, she has published over 230 papers and received major honours, including the IPC Scientific Award and a BBC Life Scientific feature.