Olympic champion Sally Gunnell takes on latest challenge to banish stigma around HIV

North Wales Live

a day ago

Sally Gunnell is relishing her latest challenge aimed at banishing the stigma around HIV, admitting she continues to feel 'astounded' by the feats of those living with it.
The 1992 Olympic champion is part of a team taking on the Snowdonia Ten Peak Challenge as part of the Tackle HIV campaign, joining other well-known celebrity supporters as well as the initiative's advocates, some of whom are living with HIV.
Gunnell has been a long-standing supporter of the organisation, taking on several endurance events alongside the campaign's figurehead, former Wales rugby international Gareth Thomas, and wants to keep playing her part in spreading the word.
'These challenges are hard, they are not for the feint-hearted, by any means,' she said.
'You have to physically be able to walk for that amount of time up those hills. That is the thing that has really astounded me, that you can live with HIV and just carry on living a normal life, being able to do such challenges.
'Gareth has done triathlons, marathons, you name it, he has physically been able to do it. What he can do with it physically is just incredible
'We have heard so many bad stories in the past around AIDS and HIV, so events like this are really about changing that story.'
The Snowdonia 10 Peak Challenge crosses the most remote mountain range in Wales and England - the Carneddau - a route 25 km in length which has 1200m of ascent and descent.
Gunnell has been warming up for her latest hike by lacing up her walking boots on the South Downs, near her home in Sussex, while temperatures of zero degrees are expected at the summits.
But with Thomas at the helm and some invaluable local knowledge, Gunnell knows she is in safe hands.
'There's about 12 of us, including people guiding us up who we will be relying on,' she said.
'They are all different backgrounds and ages, we will be out there for a good 10-12 hours, we will need each other to get ourselves through.
'Gareth is incredible. He has so much stamina and I have experienced watching him at various events relentlessly spreading the word.
'He is always bubbly, he will keep us going and he will be the leader out there. He always has a good story to tell and that's what we will need to hear.'
The Snowdonia mission will build on the initiative's recent appearance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025.
The Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden was designed by award-winning designer Manoj Malde and marked a celebration of how far science and medicine have come in the treatment of HIV since it was discovered over 40 years ago.
And the ability to spread the campaign's messages on such a stage proved invaluable, according to Viiv Healthcare's Helen McDowell.
'We have been super happy with the impact the Flower Show has had on the campaign,' said McDowell, Head of Government affairs & Global Public Health at the organisation.
'We had people coming to the garden saying they had marked it down as they had read about it or seen it on TV in the preview shows.
'We got lots of interest, lots of people wanted to learn about the message of the garden. Elements like the U=U bench, in particular, were a real draw for people to understand more about HIV.
'It has been really well received and gained a huge international following, which is also important. HIV is not something that respects borders, it is a truly global challenge, so it was really good to do something that is so local and British that can also reach so far.
'Events like this (Snowdonia) challenge also demonstrate the ability to really thrive with HIV, and through these different ways we reach more people and educate more people about the realities of living with HIV in 2025.'