Seven gold medals, an MBE and victory in Strictly Come Dancing - Hannah Cockroft's parents speak of the Halifax wheelchair racer's inspirational journey so far

Hannah at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo this year (Getty Images)

Hannah Cockroft's achievements so far are nothing short of incredible.

The 29-year-old wheelchair racer from Halifax has won seven Paralympic gold medals to date, and holds the world records for the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres and 1500 metres, along with Paralympic records for 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres and 800 metres.

Titles bestowed on her include an MBE for services for sport and Freedom of the Borough of Halifax, and she is patron and ambassador for several charities.

All this after doctors told her parents that Hannah was unlikely to ever be able to do any kind of sport.

Rachel and Graham Cockroft and Hannah's brother Daniel

Two heart attacks within the first 24 hours of her life left her with multiple areas of brain damage and a collapsed lung.

She may not ever walk, doctors said, but they advised her mum and dad - Rachel and Graham - to try to get on her feet as much as possible, and the determined youngster took her first steps when she was three years old.

Hannah grew up in Mount Tabor with brothers Joshua and Daniel and went to Wainstalls School and Holy Trinity Senior School.

Rachel said support from both schools was invaluable to Hannah. “The head at the Wainstalls got the school adapted as best he could for a 150-year-old school and she was involved in everything, from sports day to nativities,” she said.

Hannah when she first started training at Spring Hall Athletics Tract

“They even invented a race for her - the crab race - at sports day so there was something she could do.”

It was while Hannah was at secondary school that she started getting involved in sport, taking part in swimming, wheelchair basketball and discus.

She joined Cardinals wheelchair basketball team after they did a demonstration at her school and played with them for six years.

Her career in athletics started “by accident” said Graham. They were at a British Athletics talent day when Hannah met Ian Thompson, husband of Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

“He let her have a go in a racing chair and that was it,” said Graham.

Hannah fell in love racing and the family borrowed a chair so that she could start training at Spring Hall Athletics Track. The following year, Hannah stormed to victory as a wheelchair racer at the 2008 School Games.

In 2009, Hannah started training under the guidance of a new coach, Peter Eriksson, who later became a head Paralympics coach.