Overview of Shirley Robertson

Olympic sailor. Born and brought up in Dundee, Shirley Robertson began sailing on the River Tay. She gained a degree from Heriot-Watt University.

After a 4th place in the Atlanta Olympics (1996), she won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics (2000) for Europe class dingy sailing, the first Scottish woman to win an Olympic gold since 1912 and Britain's first female Olympic sailing medallist. Robertson reinforced this victory by taking a further Olympic gold in the Yngling class in Athens (2004).

Among her many honours, she became the International Sailing Federation's World Sailor of the Year in 2000, was awarded an MBE (2001) and an OBE (2005). The accolade 'Top Scot' was bestowed on her at the 2004 Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards and she became Glasgow Council Sportsperson of the Year in the same year.

She now lives in Cowes (Isle of Wight).