The words “no” and “can’t” have never been part of Stephen Miller’s vocabulary. The three-time Paralympic champion recently concluded a stellar career that saw him claim 34 major international medals over more than two decades. Yet, the discus thrower’s achievements extend far beyond his medal haul.
Hailing from Northumberland, Miller embodies the Paralympian spirit, but his influence reaches well beyond the stadium.
At 44, he is dedicated to empowering others through the transformative power of sport. “Sport has played a big part in who I am today. It’s given me a purpose and an identity,” he shared. “We’re constantly seeing images of what people should look like or how people should move, so I think it’s important that we give people the confidence to be proud of who they are and not be ashamed.”
Miller speaks from personal experience when emphasizing the impact of physical activity. He regularly visits schools to inspire children to explore sports, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. “I talk to children about the importance of being active and moving your body, but also that it’s important not to compare yourself to others,” he said. “All through my life, I measured my success based on improving my own ability. I think we get a bit obsessed about winning and being good at something, but that’s not everything.”
While his ten gold medals from the Paralympics, European, and World Championships are impressive, Miller credits his success to something deeper. “My technique of throwing the club is very unusual,” he explained. “I wasn’t particularly talented when I first started, but I found a really unconventional tactic of throwing the club backwards. That was uncommon, but it worked for me. When I think about my success in athletics, I think it boils down to not being scared to be different.”
He encourages younger generations to embrace individuality, recognizing their tendency to avoid standing out. “I think accepting who you are and believing in what makes you unique is really important,” he said. “Sometimes we try to hide away from that, we try to blend in so we can be accepted by others. In my case, my success all comes down to trying something different. Embracing what makes me unique has allowed me to turn my weakness into a strength.”
He added, “When I talk to young people about the importance of diversity, being prepared to fail, to look silly every now and again; I tell them that’s how we discover our unique talents. We can’t be afraid to try.”
This philosophy inspired Miller and his wife, Rachel, to create SMILE Through Sport, a foundation aimed at encouraging disabled children to engage in sports. “I know there can be many challenges and obstacles that might get in the way of people doing sport, so we started SMILE to break down some of those barriers,” he said. “It’s about trying to educate people about how they can adapt sport for different people with different abilities. I think no matter what your ability or your age, you can always find a way to be active.”
Miller credits his achievements to the strong support network that has surrounded him throughout his career, and he now seeks to expand that support to others. “Being active has taught me some really important lessons, and as I’m moving towards the next phase of my career, I want to take all of my lessons and help others to recognise how important sport can be,” he explained. “I worked really hard to have a successful career and so many great experiences—it would be a waste if I didn’t use that in a positive way. I want to put it all to good use and tell my story to empower people.”
Although this year’s Paralympics will mark the first Games without Miller since 1996, he remains optimistic about the event’s role in promoting disability sports. “When I started doing Paralympic sport it was a minority sport that nobody really knew or cared about,” he reflected. “Over the last 30 years, we’ve seen such a progression in the standard of competition and public interest.”
He concluded, “It’s a really inspirational event. It has so much power to make people realise what can be achieved with the right mindset and show them that life’s obstacles can be overcome. It will only keep doing that.”
