Paralympics 2024 -

In a stunning display of endurance and skill, Sarah Story further cemented her status as Great Britain’s most decorated Paralympian by winning her 18th gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. The win came on day seven of the Games, when Story won the women’s C5 time trial by more than four seconds, further cementing her legendary status in Paralympic history.

Story’s latest triumph adds to her already impressive collection of medals, which began over three decades ago. The 46-year-old’s achievement not only takes her total gold medal tally to 18, but also marks a significant milestone for ParalympicsGB, as it secures the team’s 31st gold medal in Paris. The win, achieved 32 years after her first Paralympic medal in 1992, underlines Story’s extraordinary career and her enduring dominance in para-cycling.

Day seven of the Paralympics was a day of remarkable achievements for Great Britain, with Story’s gold medal just the start. The British team added 11 more medals to their tally, showcasing their talents in a variety of sports including swimming, wheelchair tennis, para-equestrian, para-shooting and para-powerlifting. With 72 medals so far, Great Britain are second on the medal table, only behind China, who top the medals tally with 121 medals.

Story’s record-breaking day

Story’s gold medal in the women’s C5 time trial was a testament to her exceptional skill and resilience. Despite the course being described as “terrifying” due to its short 14.1km distance, Story performed brilliantly. Her 4.69-second victory over France’s Heidi Gauguin was a reminder of her unrivalled talent and experience. Story, who competed in para-swimming before switching to para-cycling, has so far won a total of 29 Paralympic medals, including 18 golds. Story’s disappointment over the length of the course did not diminish her achievement, but she hoped future races would better showcase athletes’ abilities. “This is the shortest Paralympic time trial ever held,” she said.

“I hope they never do this to the women again, because it’s appalling.” Cycling success continues ParalympicsGB’s success in cycling continued, with additional medals won throughout the day. Fran Brown took silver in the women’s C1-3 time trial despite suffering a dislocated shoulder in a car accident earlier in the week. Sophie Unwin and Lora Facchi also contributed to the cycling medal haul, winning silver and bronze respectively in the women’s B individual time trial. These achievements take the total number of cycling medals won by Great Britain to 18, with swimming being the only sport in which they have achieved more medals. The impressive performance in cycling highlights the strength and depth of the British team in this discipline.

A flurry of silver medals in the pool
The pool was another area of success for Great Britain on day seven. Seven finals took place, with notable performances resulting in silver medals for Rhys Darby, Poppy Maskill and Alice Tai. Darby, who is only 17, won silver in the men’s SM14 200m individual medley final. Maskill, who had already won two golds and a silver medal, added another silver medal to her account in the same event. Tai led the S8 women’s 400m freestyle final before being overtaken by Jessica Long of the United States.

The success in swimming, with 23 medals so far, reinforces Great Britain’s strong performance in the pool, reflecting the depth of talent within the team.

Wheelchair tennis and other successes

In wheelchair tennis, Andy Lapthorne and Greg Slade won silver in the quad doubles final, although they lost to the Dutch team of Sam Schröder and Niels Vink. Wimbledon champion Alfie Hewett reached the men’s singles semi-finals, but will team up with Gordon Reid in the men’s doubles semi-finals later in the week.

Other notable achievements included Zoe Newson winning silver in the women’s para-powerlifting up to 45kg final. Newson’s silver came after an appeal overturned an initial decision which had placed her third. In para-equestrian, Sophie Wells won bronze in the Grade V individual event. Tim Jeffery also won bronze in the Shooting Para Sport Mixed Prone SH2 final, his first medal in three Paralympic Games.

Teenager Bailey Twomey is assured of at least a bronze medal in para-table tennis after a stunning win over Smilla Sand of Sweden. Twomey, just 14, will compete against Kubra Korkut of Turkey in the semi-finals.

Reflections and future prospects
The seventh day of the Paris 2024 Paralympics was marked by exceptional performances and a continued demonstration of Great Britain’s strength across a number of sports. Sarah Storey’s record-breaking achievement was a highlight, reflecting her enduring talent and dedication. The impressive medal haul in cycling, swimming, wheelchair tennis and other sports underlines the depth and talent of the British team.

Great Britain had a successful day at the Paralympics, winning multiple medals in the triathlon and badminton events on day five in Paris. The medals came one after another, with triathlete Dave Ellis’ gold in the men’s PTVI event leading the way. The win marked the start of a series of impressive performances for Team GB, highlighting their competitive edge in these sports. Here’s a breakdown of all the action:

Ellis’ redemption on the Seine

Dave Ellis, along with his guide Luke Pollard, have recovered after a heartbreaking performance in Tokyo three years ago. That time, a mechanical problem during the bike segment cost Ellis a medal in the men’s PTVI event. This time, the duo had no setbacks on the challenging course in Paris.

Ellis and Pollard got off to a great start, staying in the top three for most of the way. However, it was their final run that clinched the gold medal. They put in a brilliant performance, finishing the race in 58 minutes and 41 seconds. Ellis expressed relief and joy at the finish line, saying the win was the result of “three years of hard work” and was a moment of redemption for her and her guide.

Megan Richter and Hannah Moore shine in Women’s PTS4
Great Britain’s medal tally continues to rise as Megan Richter won gold in the Women’s PTS4 triathlon. Paralympic debutant Megan finished the race in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 30 seconds and put in a stellar performance from start to finish. Richter’s powerful swim set the tone and she maintained a steady pace throughout the bike and run segments, ensuring victory amid cheers from spectators standing on the banks of the Seine.

Hannah Moore also put in a strong performance in the same event, securing a bronze medal for Team GB. Richter and Moore’s two medals not only boosted the British contingent’s morale but also brought their gold medal tally to 25, moving them closer to Paralympic leaders China.

Cashmore and Steadman take silver and bronze in Women’s PTS5

In a thrilling encounter in the Women’s PTS5 triathlon event, Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman found themselves on the podium, albeit with their roles reversed at Tokyo 2020. This time, American Grace Norman won gold, narrowly ahead of Cashmore, who won silver, and Steadman took bronze.

Both Cashmore and Steadman have impressive Paralympic histories and have demonstrated resilience and camaraderie over the years. Steadman, who has battled long-term Covid, returned to triathlon after competing at the Winter Games and is now adding another Paralympic medal to her collection. Cashmore has steadily increased her medal haul, now up to 10 in five Games since Athens 2004.

Dan Bethell suffers narrow defeat in badminton

Dan Bethell was another standout for Team GB, although he missed out on gold in the men’s SL3 badminton singles. Bethell’s encounter against India’s Kumar Nitesh was a thrilling three-game contest. After losing the first game 21-14, Bethell came back in the second game and won 21-18. The final game saw both players level at 21-21 before Nitesh managed to win the final two points, giving Bethell the silver medal after a hard-fought battle.

Bethell’s silver medal was nevertheless a significant achievement, showing his skill and determination against one of the world’s best players. There will be further action on the badminton court as Kristen Coombs is set to compete in the men’s SH6 singles final against France’s Charles Noke, giving Team GB another chance to win gold.

All eyes on Jonny Peacock and Ellie Challis for track and swimming events

All attention is now on the Stade de France, where Jonny Peacock is trying to win a historic third Paralympic gold in the men’s T64 100m final. Peacock, who has previously won gold in London and Rio, is looking to bounce back from his bronze medal in Tokyo. His race is scheduled for the evening, and fans are anxiously waiting to see if he can regain his top spot on the podium.

Meanwhile, in the pool, Ellie Challis, who was Britain’s youngest medallist at the Tokyo Games, is competing in the women’s S3 50m backstroke final. Challis topped her heat earlier in the day, finishing the race in 53.86 seconds, and is set for a strong performance in the final. She is hoping to better her silver medal in Tokyo and win her first gold medal.

Louise Fiddes is another British swimmer competing in the women’s SB14 100m breaststroke final. She finished second in her heat and will look to secure her spot on the podium. Her teammate, Olivia Newman-Baronius, will join her after securing the final qualification spot in her heat.

Dramatic moment for transgender athlete Valentina Petrillo

One of the most striking stories of the morning session was Italy’s Valentina Petrillo, who is the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the Paralympics. She progressed from the first round of the women’s T12 400m and finished second with a time of 58.35 seconds. Petrillo, who won a bronze medal at last year’s world championships,

Tag: Paralympics 2024

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