Paris 2024 Paralympics day one: Great Britain secures medals in swimming and cycling

Great Britain kicked off the first day of the 2024 Paralympics with medal success in swimming and cycling.

Teenager Poppy Maskill earned ParalympicsGB its first gold medal of the Games, shattering the world record as she won the women's S14 100m butterfly.

That Gold was added to later on Thursday by Tully Kearney, who won the women's S5 200m freestyle.

Hopes remain high that ParalympicsGB will be able to replicate the level of success that saw it come second in the medal table at Tokyo 2020.

As the Games get underway, here's the highlights from day one.

Track cycling

Daphne Schrager secured ParalympicsGB's first medal of the Games with a second place finish in the women's C1-3 3,000m individual pursuit.

Speaking to Channel 4 after winning silver, she said: "It's just incredible. A year ago I didn't think I'd be on a bike again after I crashed, so to come here and break a world record in the process - that's all I could do."

But it was a difficult showing for four-time Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox as she crashed out of the C45-5 time trial.

Cox, who was second fastest in qualifying behind Caroline Groot, fell on the first corner of her medal race after wobbling, following a slow start.

Appearing distraught, the 33-year-old, who has multiple sclerosis, hobbled as she was helped from the track by members of the ParalympicsGB team.

Dutch rider Groot subsequently took the title, ahead of French home favourite Marie Patouillet, with Canadian Kate O'Brien third.

Swimming

In the pool, 19-year-old Poppy Maskill clocked a new world record time of one minute and three seconds to claim the women's 100m butterfly S14 title.

Tully Kearney earned ParalympicaGB's second Gold medal of the Games, with a time of 2:46.50 in the women's S5 200m freestyle.

Teenager William Ellard won Silver in the men's equivalent of the event that Maskill had earlier dominated.

Ellard, 18, touched the line in 54.86 seconds, and was pipped to Gold by Danish athlete Alexander Hillhouse.

Wheelchair basketball

Gregg Warburton claimed 24 points as Britain's men's wheelchair basketball team began with a 76-55 success over Germany in Group A.

The men's squad have won bronze medals in three of their last four Paralympic appearances, but since their silver at Atlanta 1996, the ParalympicsGB side have never reached a final.

Meanwhile, the women's side also got off to a winning start, recording a 69-34 triumph over Spain.

Badminton

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

Alongside partner Rachel Choong, Shephard started his day with defeat in the SH6 mixed doubles Group A, taking on Indonesia's pairing of Rina Marlina and Subhan Ina Subhan.

Shephard was then in singles action in the afternoon, suffering defeat again in the men's singles against China's Lin Naili.

Krysten Coombs and Dan Bethell also began their Games in the SH6 and SL3 categories respectively. Coombs recorded a loss, while Bethell got off to a winning start against New Zealand's Wojtek Czyz.

Boccia

Six ParalympicsGB athletes were in action on Thursday, including three-time Paralympic champion and four-time world champion David Smith, who dismantled Brazilian, Jose Oliveira 5-2 in Pool A of the men's individual BC1.

Table tennis

Schoolgirl Bly Twomey became Great Britain’s youngest Paralympic table tennis medallist by winning doubles bronze alongside Fliss Pickard.

A resounding 3-0 quarter-final victory over Norwegian pair Nora Korneliussen and Jenny Helene Slettum guaranteed the 14-year-old a podium place in the WD14 classification event.

Defeat to Chinese pair Wenjuan Huang and Yucheng Jin in the evening session prevented Twomey and 30-year-old Pickard, who both have cerebral palsy, progressing to the gold medal match.

“It felt amazing, the atmosphere and everyone supporting me,” said Twomey, from Brighton.

“Just to play with Fliss is a massive achievement for me and I’m just really proud to be her doubles partner. I’m really proud to get a medal at my first Paralympic Games and it means a lot as I’m only 14.”

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