Source: imagecomms

Paris 2024 Day One Preview

  • +1

Action gets underway on a busy Day One of the Paralympics, with swimming and cycling taking centre stage for ParalympicsGB.

From boccia to wheelchair rugby, Brits will be competing in a variety of sports across the French capital as they look to kick their Games off with a bang.

Track cycling

Kadeena Cox gets things underway for ParalympicsGB at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome as she competes in the women’s C4-5 500m time trial, with qualifying underway from 11:00 BST.

A four-time Paralympic champion across cycling and sprinting, Cox begins the defence of her time trial crown after setting a stunning new world record on the way to gold at Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

Double world champion Daphne Schrager and Fran Brown, who competed in triathlon in Tokyo, get their campaigns started in the women’s C1-3 3000m individual pursuit.

The tandem trio of Neil Fachie, James Ball and Stephen Bate will then battle it out for the medals in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit.

Swimming

ParalympicsGB will be well represented on the opening day of finals at the pool at La Defense Arena.
Watch out for 17-year-old Olivia Newman-Baronius in the women’s S14 100m butterfly: she is joint holder of the world record in that event and reigning European champion.

World silver medallist Poppy Maskill and double Tokyo podium finisher Louise Fiddes will also be in the mix, with William Ellard and Cameron Vearncombe challenging on the men’s side.

The last event of the day is the women’s S5 200m freestyle in which Tully Kearney will defend her title with Toni Shaw in action too in the women’s S9 400m freestyle.

Wheelchair basketball

Both the men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams get their Paris 2024 campaigns going on Day One in a pair of hotly-anticipated group games.

The men’s squad have won bronze medals in three of their last four Paralympic appearances, but ever since their silver of Atlanta 1996, a place in the final has eluded them. Opening Ceremony Flagbearer Terry Bywater is expected to see some action when they kick off their Games against Germany in Group A at Bercy Arena, with play starting at 09:30 BST.

Then, at 11:45 BST, the women’s side take on Spain in Group A, starting their journey towards what could be a first-ever medal.

Badminton

All four British shuttlers are in badminton action on Day One, with Jack Shephard pulling double duty.

Alongside partner Rachel Choong, Shephard starts his day at 08:10 BST in the SH6 mixed doubles Group A, taking on Indonesia’s pairing of Rina Marlina and Subhan Ina Subhan.

Shephard is then in singles action later that afternoon, competing in the men’s singles against China’s Lin Naili.

Krysten Coombs and Dan Bethell also begin their Games in the SH6 and SL3 categories respectively, with Tokyo silver medallist Bethell looking to go one better than his previous Paralympic appearance.

Boccia

There are six boccia contests to keep your eyes peeled on Day One.

Three-time Paralympic champion and four-time world champion David Smith sets the tone at 09:30 BST, taking on Jose Oliveira of Brazil in Pool A of the men’s individual BC1.

It is then an all British affair as William Arnott faces Patrick Wilson in their Pool A opener in the men’s individual BC3.

Stephen McGuire then takes centre stage to face Malaysia’s Abdul Razup Mas Abdul Rahman in Pool C of the men’s individual BC4.

At 17:10 BST, focus turns to the women’s events as Claire Taggart gets her women’s individual BC2 campaign underway against Ecuador’s Joselyn Leon, before Kayleigh Haggo takes on Soyeong Jeong in the same event.

To see off ParalympicsGB’s first day of action, Sally Kidson faces Brazil’s Evelyn Oliveira in Pool C of the women’s individual BC3.

There is also action in the archery as Tokyo champion Phoebe Paterson Pine and Rio silver medallist Jodie Grinham, who will compete while 28 weeks pregnant, begin their Paris 2024 campaigns in the ranking round.

The South Paris Arena will also play host to table tennis with Felicity Pickard and Bly Twomey contending in the WD14 women’s doubles, in quarter-final action in the morning with a potential semi-final in the evening.

With thanks to ParalympicsGB