Team Great Britain kicked off the 2024 Paris Paralympics with an impressive performance, securing six medals on the opening day, including two golds. The standout victories came from Poppy Maskill and Tully Kearney, who both captured gold in swimming events, propelling the British team to a strong start in the competition.
Nineteen-year-old Poppy Maskill made a remarkable debut by winning gold in the women’s S14 100-meter butterfly. She broke the world record with a time of 1:03.00, earning Great Britain its first gold medal in Paris. Maskill’s performance stunned the competition, as she outpaced her rivals, including Hong Kong’s world champion Chen Rui-Lin and Paralympic Neutral Athlete Valeriia Shabalina.
Following Maskill’s triumph, Tully Kearney added another gold to Great Britain’s tally by winning the women’s S5 200-meter freestyle. Kearney, a world record holder, showed her dominance in the pool, securing the top spot and redeeming herself after her silver medal finish in the same event at the Tokyo Paralympics. She narrowly defeated Ukraine’s Iryna Poida, showcasing her resilience and determination.
In addition to these gold medals, 18-year-old Will Ellard claimed silver in the men’s S14 100-meter butterfly. Despite leading for most of the race, Ellard was edged out by Denmark’s Alexander Hildehouse, who took gold by a mere 0.25 seconds. This marked Ellard as Great Britain’s first swimming medalist of the Games.
The success in the pool wasn’t the only highlight for Team GB. Cyclists Daphne Schrager and Steve Bate also earned silver medals in the track cycling events. However, the day wasn’t without setbacks, as four-time Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox suffered a crash in her gold medal race, leaving her disappointed.
Adding to the medal count, 14-year-old Blythe Tewomi and her teammate Felicity Pickard secured a bronze medal in the women’s W14 doubles Para table tennis event, demonstrating the depth and talent of the British squad.
Overall, Team GB had an outstanding start to the Paralympics, ranking second on the medal table behind China. The day ended with a sense of accomplishment and anticipation for the challenges ahead as the 11-day competition continues. Maskill, reflecting on her debut, expressed disbelief at her success: “I just wanted to swim my best and see what happened, and I did just that. It’s given me confidence for the rest of the Games.”
As the Paralympic flame burns bright in Paris, Britain’s athletes have already made their mark, with hopes high for further victories in the days to come.
