Kiera Byland

Kiera Byland BEM is 25 years old and she has been a Special Olympics Great Britain athlete since 2014. Kiera has Rubenstein’s Taybi Syndrome, an intellectual disability (ID) and autism. Despite these challenges, Kiera has been able to achieve so many wonderful things, whilst being a true leader and ambassador for inclusion. As part of her new role as chair of the Global Athlete Leader Congress, she will promote the importance of more athletes being in meaningful roles of their choice along with her desire to inspire women and girls with ID to join and stay in sport, to become coaches and encourage women & girls to take up a leadership role.

Kiera has won 6 Gold medals for Cycling at the 2015 and 2019 Special Olympics World Games. She also enjoys competing as a Special Olympics Athlete both locally, regionally and nationally in Swimming and Horse Riding.

In 2021 Kiera had the immense pleasure of being placed on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list and was awarded the British Empire medal for her services to sport. Being invited to attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023, she said “it was such an honour to represent people with ID.”

In that same year Kiera completed her college courses, receiving diplomas and certificates in Sport, Marketing and Business Enterprise. She also is a Level 2 British Cycling coach, a Bikeability Level 1, 2 & 3 instructor and has a Level 2 ASA swimming teacher. Kiera really enjoys teaching children and young people both with and without intellectual disabilities to learn to ride and to swim.

Kiera is truly an inspiration not only to her peers but to children and adults alike. She is a fantastic teacher and the children love her. In addition, Kiera is a Board member of Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB), an Athlete Leader in the SOGB Athlete Leadership Team, the current chair of SOEE ALC and vice chair of GALC and Health Liaison (until December 2023). She is a global health messenger and has become an SO Athlete Consultant.

Kiera loves every single role she has been offered, her passion is to inspire and motivate others with an intellectual disability to have a dream and achieve it through hard work and sheer determination.