Paris, France — The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games got off to a spectacular start for Great Britain as athletes claimed six medals on the opening day, including two golds, setting the tone for a promising fortnight of competition.
Poppy Maskill and Tully Kearney led the charge, both securing gold in impressive fashion and setting world records in their respective events.
Maskill and Kearney Steal the Spotlight
Nineteen-year-old Poppy Maskill made an immediate impact in the pool, clinching the first gold medal for ParalympicsGB with a world record performance in the women’s 100m butterfly S14.
Maskill finished the race in an astonishing 1:03.00, surpassing the previous world record and outpacing competitors from Hong Kong and the Neutral Paralympic team.
Maskill, competing in her first Paralympics, described the experience as “unreal,” adding that the presence of her family in the stands further fueled her performance.
“I was just hoping to swim my hardest and see what happens, and that’s what I did,” Maskill said. “This gives me so much confidence for my other events.”
Tully Kearney, 27, then followed with another golden triumph in the women’s 200m freestyle S5. Kearney, who had missed out on gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games, avenged her previous loss by narrowly edging out Ukraine’s Iryna Poida in the final stretch.
Kearney’s victory was a significant moment of redemption after finishing just 0.12 seconds behind China’s Li Zhang in Tokyo.
“I’m just absolutely ecstatic and a bit speechless. I really wanted redemption from Tokyo,” Kearney stated. “To be able to get here means a lot to me.”
Ellard and Para-Cyclists Contribute to Medal Haul
The successes continued in the pool with 18-year-old Will Ellard earning a silver medal in the men’s 100m butterfly S14.
Ellard led the race for much of the distance but was overtaken by Denmark’s Alexander Hillhouse, who won gold by a narrow margin of 0.25 seconds.
In track cycling, Great Britain’s Daphne Schrager and Steve Bate also delivered silver medal performances. Schrager, competing in the women’s C1-3 3000m individual pursuit, set a world record in her C2 classification but finished second to China’s Xiaomei Wang.
Despite her loss, Schrager expressed pride in her achievement, particularly as she was awarded her medal by cinema legend Jackie Chan.
Bate, alongside his pilot Chris Latham, took silver in the men’s B 4000m individual pursuit. The pair, who had set a world record in the heats, fell short against the Netherlands’ Tristan Bangma and Patrick Bos, who retained their title from Tokyo.
Despite the setback, Bate’s effort added to the day’s impressive tally for Great Britain.
Cox Faces Heartbreak at the Velodrome
The velodrome saw a poignant moment as Kadeena Cox, a four-time Paralympic champion and one of Great Britain’s gold medal hopefuls, suffered a crash in the women’s C4-5 500m time trial.
Cox, who had battled multiple sclerosis and recent injuries, was forced to withdraw from her race after an early fall. The event was eventually won by the Netherlands’ Caroline Groot.
Reflecting on her unfortunate exit, Cox shared, “It was a weird one. I didn’t feel comfortable in the gate. My right side is my weak side and I think I overcompensated. It has been a rollercoaster, I guess that’s MS. It’s just not what you want a year out from the Games.”
Twomey Makes Paralympic History
Fourteen-year-old Bly Twomey made history as the youngest British Paralympic table tennis medallist, securing bronze in the women’s doubles W14 alongside team-mate Felicity Pickard.
Twomey, who competed in both the women’s and mixed doubles events, described the experience as “amazing” and expressed pride in achieving a medal on her Games debut.
“It’s amazing because I am so young. I wouldn’t have done this without Fliss, so I am really proud to have her by my side,” Twomey said.
Jodie Grinham Breaks New Ground
In a remarkable story of perseverance, Jodie Grinham, seven months pregnant, competed in the women’s individual compound archery event. Grinham, believed to be the first athlete that far along in pregnancy to compete at the Paralympics, progressed to the last 16 with a personal best score of 693.
“It’s brilliant to get that score, I want to compete,” Grinham remarked. “I didn’t want this Games to just be about a pregnant woman taking part. I wanted to be competitive.”
Looking Ahead
The opening day of the Paris 2024 Paralympics has set a high bar for ParalympicsGB, showcasing a blend of young talent and seasoned champions delivering stellar performances.
With a total of six medals, including two golds, the British team has begun their campaign in strong fashion, promising more excitement in the days to come.
As the Games continue, Great Britain will look to build on this successful start and inspire with more exceptional performances across the board. The next days of competition are sure to bring more thrilling moments and historic achievements.
