The 25-year-old made her claim at a day of events in Stoke Mandeveille celebrating the first anniversary since the start of the London 2012 Paralympics and this included the announcement that Stoke Mandeville will be involved in all future Paralympic Torch Relays.

Christiansen was delighted that such an event will occur on "home turf" as it will continue levels of excitement - which have already been "completely manic" - over the next four years.

But she also had a more sombre message concerning the disabled community as a whole as she explained the necessity for role-models outside a purely sporting arena.

"I think that the feeling is that the amazing Paralympic role models do not represent the whole disabled community," she told insidethegames.

"We need role-models outside sport such as high up in business or in something like acting to show that everyone can achieve no matter what their dream is."

Sophie Christiansen on way to winning one of her three gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games


Christiansen, who has cerebral palsy, is certainly one of those sporting figures who has leapt into the public eye after she followed her two gold medals from Beijing 2008 with a further three titles last year in London.

She admits it has been a "huge novelty" to have become a mini-celebrity who is recognised on the streets, but she simultaneously explained how she has not forgotten what her job is and that her coach has not allowed her to lose her focus.

This was underlined at the recent European Championships in Denmark where Christiansen took another hat-trick of titles and she is now focusing on finding a new horse in time for a further medals tilt at Rio 2016.

Sophie Christiansen recognition for her success included the awarding of an OBE


However, with her customary modesty, Christiansen also played down her impairment and listed ways in which the Paralympic legacy which she has so inspired can be translated to the wider disabled community.

"In the Paralympics I am one of the most disabled competitors but in the grand scheme of things I am not actually that impaired," she said.

"The Government are building a database of role-models which is a good start to widen the appeal.

"It is also important that the media jump on the bandwagon with positive stories rather than negative ones just about subjects like benefit fraud."