Born and raised in Moss Side, Manchester, Diane is one of Britain’s most successful middle-distance athletes, having participated in four Olympic Games and secured gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games. She previously held British and Commonwealth Games records. In 2018, Diane was awarded an MBE for her services to sport and young people in the Northwest of England.
Since retiring from international athletics in 20,000, Diane has dedicated her career to empowering young people to fulfil their potential, becoming Head of Inclusion England Talent Pathways at Sport England working in partnership to ensure athlete development pathways are more accessible, inclusive and genuinely representative of the nation and all its diversity.
In 2020 she was appointed by Andy Burnham then Mayor of Greater Manchester and now Prime Minister, the Chair of the Greater Manchester Young Person’s Task force, to lead the Task Force’s engagement with young people as part the Covid-19 recovery process.
In May 2021 Diane joined the board of Commonwealth Games England and Chairs the Sport Committee. Among her many activities she has also written her autobiography, ‘The Diane Modahl Story: Going the Distance’; and appeared in the Celebrity TV Series ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’