Michelle Griffith Robinson Fold Woman
Posted by marie@thefoldlondon.com BigCommerce on 20th Feb 2024
EVERY FOLD WOMAN HAS A UNIQUE STORY TO TELL
EVERY FOLD WOMAN HAS A UNIQUE STORY TO TELL
‘NO WOMAN IS AN ISLAND.’
HER STORY
MICHELLE GRIFFITH ROBINSON
She was the working-class girl from Wembley who became an Olympian – and made history as the first woman in the Commonwealth to triple jump over 14 metres. We meet life coach Michelle Griffith Robinson.
ON HER CHILDHOOD: I come from a working-class Afro-Caribbean family. My Jamaican mother was an NHS nurse and my Barbadian father was a plumber at Wembley Stadium; they taught me and my three brothers the importance of respect, manners and hard graft. As black children growing up in Britain, we were repeatedly warned that we would have to work twice as hard as our white counterparts. That didn’t knock me; it gave me fire in my belly.
ON DISCOVERING ATHLETICS: I got into athletics when I was 12. It was a Sunday morning and my mum dragged me out of bed, took me to Vale Farm Sports Centre and paid an extra £1 so I could use the running track while she went to her keep-fit class. Looking back, she says that was the best pound she’s ever spent. I was a natural. When I was 15, I went to my first Youth Olympic Games in the Netherlands. That trip really sparked my passion for competitive sports. In sixth form, I remember saying, “I want to make the Olympic Games”. Everyone laughed at me. I was that little girl from Wembley who dared to dream.
ON RESILIENCE: When people think about the Olympics, they see the podium, not the preparation. They don’t understand the blood, sweat, tears, tantrums, injuries and sacrifices. The training regime was relentless but I persevered by being utterly focused. I wanted to be one of the best in the world at women’s triple jump; that was etched on my brain. Sure, I missed going out with my friends on a Saturday night – but there’s no better party than an Olympic party.
HER STORY
MICHELLE GRIFFITH ROBINSON
MICHELLE GRIFFITH ROBINSON
She was the working-class girl from Wembley who became an Olympian – and made history as the first woman in the Commonwealth to triple jump over 14 metres. We meet life coach Michelle Griffith Robinson.
She was the working-class girl from Wembley who became an Olympian – and made history as the first woman in the Commonwealth to triple jump over 14 metres. We meet life coach Michelle Griffith Robinson.
ON HER CHILDHOOD: I come from a working-class Afro-Caribbean family. My Jamaican mother was an NHS nurse and my Barbadian father was a plumber at Wembley Stadium; they taught me and my three brothers the importance of respect, manners and hard graft. As black children growing up in Britain, we were repeatedly warned that we would have to work twice as hard as our white counterparts. That didn’t knock me; it gave me fire in my belly.
ON DISCOVERING ATHLETICS: I got into athletics when I was 12. It was a Sunday morning and my mum dragged me out of bed, took me to Vale Farm Sports Centre and paid an extra £1 so I could use the running track while she went to her keep-fit class. Looking back, she says that was the best pound she’s ever spent. I was a natural. When I was 15, I went to my first Youth Olympic Games in the Netherlands. That trip really sparked my passion for competitive sports. In sixth form, I remember saying, “I want to make the Olympic Games”. Everyone laughed at me. I was that little girl from Wembley who dared to dream.
ON RESILIENCE: When people think about the Olympics, they see the podium, not the preparation. They don’t understand the blood, sweat, tears, tantrums, injuries and sacrifices. The training regime was relentless but I persevered by being utterly focused. I wanted to be one of the best in the world at women’s triple jump; that was etched on my brain. Sure, I missed going out with my friends on a Saturday night – but there’s no better party than an Olympic party.
‘I remember saying, “I want to make the Olympic Games”. Everyone laughed at me. I was that little girl from Wembley who dared to dream.’
‘I remember saying, “I want to make the Olympic Games”. Everyone laughed at me. I was that little girl from Wembley who dared to dream.’
‘I remember saying, “I want to make the Olympic Games”. Everyone laughed at me. I was that little girl from Wembley who dared to dream.’
‘I remember saying, “I want to make the Olympic Games”. Everyone laughed at me. I was that little girl from Wembley who dared to dream.’
ON THE OLYMPICS: I was the first woman in the Commonwealth to triple jump over 14 metres. I made three World Championship Finals and European Finals and represented Great Britain at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. That was the pinnacle of my career; just walking into the stadium in a GB tracksuit, to the roar of 96,000 people, was incredible. I was devastated that I didn’t get a medal but I was there. I did my best. I made it.
ON HER ROLE MODEL: My mum has always been my role model – and she always will be. She’s had a really tough four years: she had cancer and had to have her stomach removed; she lost my stepfather to Covid; then she struggled with diabetes and had to have her leg amputated. She has always been such a vibrant, active person and this has hit her hard. But even through the suffering, she manages to find moments of joy. She is an inspiration.
ON PREPARATION: Clothes are a huge part of my preparation. If you feel good in what you wear, you’ll shine even brighter from the inside out. I’m also a big planner: I always say, “Planning prevents poor performances”. But remember, perfection doesn’t exist. Just be the imperfect-perfect version of yourself.
ON HER STYLE: My two daughters are very fashion-savvy and they’re brutally honest with me; they’ll tell me when I’m looking “wicked” or “too grannyish”. My style is bright, bold and confident. At work, I tend to go for trouser suits and structured dresses. At the weekend, I’ll be in jeans, a denim shirt and a pair of red or yellow Dr. Martens boots.
‘Many professional athletes find it hard to make that transition to “normal” life – all of a sudden, your value depreciates and the phone stops ringing.’
‘Being part of big clubs, like Manchester City, is a dream come true.’
‘Being part of big clubs, like Manchester City, is a dream come true.’
‘Being part of big clubs, like Manchester City, is a dream come true.’
ON RETIRING: I retired at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006, with my husband, my daughter Reese, my mum and my stepdad in the crowd. I was in my mid-thirties, I felt like I’d gone as far as I could and I was ready for a second child. Many professional athletes find it hard to make that transition to “normal” life – all of a sudden, your value depreciates and the phone stops ringing. But I was prepared for it. I had already established myself as a personal trainer, then started taking on roles as a mentor, public speaker and life coach.
I’ve worked with organisations ranging from Nike and Kent Police to HSBC and Pfizer. I’m also a columnist for Women’s Health magazine and an ambassador for The Menopause Charity, Women's Aid, Diabetes UK, British jewellery brand Kit Heath and, most recently, skincare and beauty retailer L’OCCITANE, which is committed to empowering women at every age and stage of their lives.
ON HER TOUGHEST MOMENT: In my 20s, I was in an abusive relationship. I was never fully honest with other people about it because of the shame, and it took me a long time to find the strength to leave and to understand that I wasn’t to blame. Sometimes you need to look in the mirror and have an open and honest conversation with yourself. You need to talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a best friend.
ON DIABETES: I’ve always been fit and healthy so I was shocked when, in August 2018, I found out I was prediabetic. My blood sugar was higher than normal and I was at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. My first thought was, “I’m an Olympian. People like me don’t get diabetes!” I assumed type 2 diabetes only affected unhealthy, overweight people but have since learned that genetics and ethnicity can also play a role. People from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes from the age of 25. For the white population, the risk increases from 40. I upped my exercise, cut down on carbs and introduced more fish, eggs and vegetables into my diet. Thanks to those lifestyle changes, I’m now out of the prediabetic zone.
ON HER MOST POWERFUL
PIECE OF ADVICE FOR OTHER WOMEN:
‘Every day that you wake up is another opportunity to shine.’
ON THE OLYMPICS: I was the first woman in the Commonwealth to triple jump over 14 metres. I made three World Championship Finals and European Finals and represented Great Britain at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. That was the pinnacle of my career; just walking into the stadium in a GB tracksuit, to the roar of 96,000 people, was incredible. I was devastated that I didn’t get a medal but I was there. I did my best. I made it.
ON HER ROLE MODEL: My mum has always been my role model – and she always will be. She’s had a really tough four years: she had cancer and had to have her stomach removed; she lost my stepfather to Covid; then she struggled with diabetes and had to have her leg amputated. She has always been such a vibrant, active person and this has hit her hard. But even through the suffering, she manages to find moments of joy. She is an inspiration.
ON PREPARATION: Clothes are a huge part of my preparation. If you feel good in what you wear, you’ll shine even brighter from the inside out. I’m also a big planner: I always say, “Planning prevents poor performances”. But remember, perfection doesn’t exist. Just be the imperfect-perfect version of yourself.
ON HER STYLE: My two daughters are very fashion-savvy and they’re brutally honest with me; they’ll tell me when I’m looking “wicked” or “too grannyish”. My style is bright, bold and confident. At work, I tend to go for trouser suits and structured dresses. At the weekend, I’ll be in jeans, a denim shirt and a pair of red or yellow Dr. Martens boots.
‘Many professional athletes find it hard to make that transition to “normal” life – all of a sudden, your value depreciates and the phone stops ringing.’
‘Many professional athletes find it hard to make that transition to “normal” life – all of a sudden, your value depreciates and the phone stops ringing.’
ON RETIRING: I retired at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006, with my husband, my daughter Reese, my mum and my stepdad in the crowd. I was in my mid-thirties, I felt like I’d gone as far as I could and I was ready for a second child. Many professional athletes find it hard to make that transition to “normal” life – all of a sudden, your value depreciates and the phone stops ringing. But I was prepared for it. I had already established myself as a personal trainer, then started taking on roles as a mentor, public speaker and life coach.
I’ve worked with organisations ranging from Nike and Kent Police to HSBC and Pfizer. I’m also a columnist for Women’s Health magazine and an ambassador for The Menopause Charity, Women's Aid, Diabetes UK, British jewellery brand Kit Heath and, most recently, skincare and beauty retailer L’OCCITANE, which is committed to empowering women at every age and stage of their lives.
ON HER TOUGHEST MOMENT: In my 20s, I was in an abusive relationship. I was never fully honest with other people about it because of the shame, and it took me a long time to find the strength to leave and to understand that I wasn’t to blame. Sometimes you need to look in the mirror and have an open and honest conversation with yourself. You need to talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a best friend.
ON DIABETES: I’ve always been fit and healthy so I was shocked when, in August 2018, I found out I was prediabetic. My blood sugar was higher than normal and I was at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. My first thought was, “I’m an Olympian. People like me don’t get diabetes!” I assumed type 2 diabetes only affected unhealthy, overweight people but have since learned that genetics and ethnicity can also play a role. People from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes from the age of 25. For the white population, the risk increases from 40. I upped my exercise, cut down on carbs and introduced more fish, eggs and vegetables into my diet. Thanks to those lifestyle changes, I’m now out of the prediabetic zone.
ON HER MOST POWERFUL PIECE OF ADVICE TO OTHER WOMEN
‘Every day that you wake up is another opportunity to shine.’
‘Every day that you wake up is another opportunity to shine.’