Charlotte raises a fist in celebration in her canoe in Tokyo

Charlotte Henshaw

Canoe

Region

Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Date of Birth

16/01/1987
Classification

KL2

Charlotte Henshaw impressively became Paralympic champion at her first Games as a paracanoe athlete, claiming gold in the women’s KL2 event in Tokyo.

Two weeks later Henshaw’s 2021 season got even better as she claimed her fourth and fifth World Championship titles, winning gold in the KL2 and VL3. She has since won a further three world titles.

Henshaw’s Paralympic appearance in Paris marks the fifth Games of her career, having competed at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 in Para swimming, before making the switch to paracanoe.

Henshaw took her World Championship title tally to ten at the 2024 World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, winning KL2 and VL3 gold.

In 2023, Henshaw won a total of five medals across the season including the defence of her KL2 world title, which secured the British boat quota spot for Paris 2024.

Alongside her Paralympic and world successes, Henshaw has five European medals from her glittering career, including two golds.

Unsurprisingly, Henshaw was an extremely successful Para swimmer. As well as winning silver at London 2012 and bronze at Rio 2016, she was a two-time European champion and two-time world silver medallist.

Henshaw was awarded a MBE for her services to canoeing in the 2022 New Year Honours.

Outside of the sport, Henshaw is a huge fan of musical theatre as well as a supporter of Manchester United Football Club.

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