Charlotte Henshaw Biography Charlotte Sarah Henshaw MBE (born January 16, 1987) is a full-time British Paralympic athlete who competes in a variety of categories. Originally a swimmer, she switched to canoeing in 2017 and is the reigning World champion in the KL2 (five times) and VL3 (three times) 200m races. She won the Women’s KL2 event in the postponed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo in September 2021, making her a Paralympic champion for the fourth time. Henshaw joined the British Paracanoe squad in June 2021, specializing in KL2 Kayak and VL3 Va’a competitions. Henshaw, a former swimmer specializing in 100-meter breaststroke SB6, was a European champion and Paralympic medalist in the early 2010s. Throughout her swimming career, she participated in SB6, SM8, and S8 category races, representing Great Britain in 2010, 2013.
Charlotte Henshaw Biography 2025
Charlotte Henshaw MBE made an outstanding Paralympic debut as a paracanoe athlete, winning gold in the women’s KL2 event at the Tokyo Games. Henshaw’s 2021 season became even better two weeks later, when she won her fourth and fifth World Championship championships, gold in the KL2 and VL3. Since then, she has won three more world titles. Henshaw won gold in KL2 and VL3 at the 2025 World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, bringing her total to 10. Henshaw won five gold in 2023, including defending her KL2 world title, securing the British boat quota slot for Paris 2025. Along with her Paralympic and international victories, Henshaw has five European medals from her childhood. Henshaw’s appearance in Tokyo was her fourth Paralympic Games, after competing in para-swimming in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016.
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Charlotte Henshaw Biography 2025 Details
Full name
Charlotte Henshaw
Nationality
British
Born
16 January 1987 (age 37) Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England
Charlotte Sarah Henshaw MBE is a British Paralympic full-time athlete across multiple disciplines. Originally a swimmer, she changed to canoeing from 2017, becoming the reigning World champion in the KL2 and VL3 200m events.
Born: 16 January 1987 (age 37 years), Mansfield, United Kingdom
Medals: Paracanoeing at the 2025 Summer Paralympics – Women’s KL2
Swimming career History
Henshaw’s achievements and career
Details
Full Name
Henshaw
Date of Birth
1987
Place of Birth
Mansfield, England
Condition
Bilateral tibial hypoplasia (legs amputated above the knee at 18 months old)
Early Swimming Start
Began swimming at age 4
Swimming Club
Nova Centurion
First GB Representation
16 years old, Danish Open
University
University of Stirling, studying Psychology and Sports Studies
2008 Summer Paralympics
Beijing, competed in SB6 100m breaststroke, 4th place
2009 IPC European Championships
Gold in SB6 100m breaststroke, bronze in S8 200m Individual Medley
2010 IPC World Championships
Silver in SB6 100m breaststroke, world record in heats
2011 IPC European Championships
Silver in SB6 100m breaststroke, 5th in S8 400m freestyle
2012 Summer Paralympics
London, 12th in 400m Freestyle (S8), Silver in 100m Breaststroke (SB6), narrowly missed gold
Announced retirement from swimming in early 2017; began canoe training in late 2016
2017 Achievements
International debut at European Championships in Bulgaria (silver medal); competed at World Championships in the Czech Republic
2018 Achievements
Silver in World Cup & European Championships; Bronze in VL3 200m, Gold in KL2 200m at World Championships in Montemor-O-Velho
2019 Achievements
Undefeated in KL2 200m for the season; Gold in KL2 and VL3 200m at European Championships, ICF World Cup, and World Championships; World leading times in both events
2021 Achievements
Represented UK at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics; Gold in KL2 200m with Paralympic Best time; Gold in KL2 200m and VL3 200m at ICF World Championships in Copenhagen
2022 Achievements
“Triple double” at World Championships in Halifax (KL2 and VL3 titles); Maiden VL3 200m title at Munich European Championships, and silver in KL2 200m
In December 2014, the 25-metre laned pool at the Water Meadows complex was named Hynds and Henshaw Competition Pool to honor Ollie Hynd, his brother Sam, and Charlotte Henshaw
Freedom of Mansfield
Awarded to Henshaw, Ollie Hynd, and their swimming coach in 2016
MBE Appointment
Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to canoeing
