Kirsty Brown Featured in The Guardian: Rethinking ADHD in Elite Sport

Kirsty Brown, SPRINT Project PhD researcher, was featured in The Guardian last week, contributing to an international conversation about how ADHD is understood in sport.  

Read the full article on The Guardian: “Inspirational success stories are great – but is ADHD really a superpower for elite athletes?” (Published 17 April 2026): https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/apr/17/inspirational-success-stories-are-great-but-is-adhd-really-a-superpower-for-elite-athletes  

What the article explores 

The article sits at the heart of Kirsty’s research, lived experience, and the conversations she frequently engages in about how ADHD is understood - and too often misunderstood - in sport. 

In the piece, Kirsty contributes her own experiences of being a neurodivergent golfer which challenges the “superpower” narrative around ADHD in sport. She reflects on how she approaches golf differently to those without ADHD, and the masking behaviours she engages in on the course to fit in.  

Kirsty explains that we need research to understand how to support those with ADHD, to improve the psychological safety of the sport environment.    

What’s next  

This national coverage reflects the growing recognition that neurodivergence in sport deserves a deeper, more evidence‑informed discussion. Kirsty, alongside her colleagues and collaborators will continue to: 

• Conduct research grounded in athlete experience 

• Share findings with coaches, practitioners, and policymakers 

• Developing practical recommendations for inclusive practice 

  
  

We’re excited to see this conversation gaining momentum - and proud to contribute to it. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, or questions. You can contact Kirsty via LinkedIn @kirstykrb or on email at krb700@student.bham.ac.uk. 

For previous work that Kirsty has contributed on the topic please check out: 

• Blog post series on ADHD in sport: https://www.sprintproject.org/projects-sport-neurodiversity  

• Blog on Kirsty speaking at a coaching workshop: https://www.sprintproject.org/post/kirsty-speaks-at-adhd-and-neurodiversity-strategies-for-sports-coaching  

• Blog about Kirsty presenting her PhD research at the UK Sports Institute conference: https://www.sprintproject.org/post/kirsty-presents-at-uk-sports-institute-uksi-mental-health-in-elite-sport-conference-on-adhd-in-eli