How did the North East do at the Paralympics?

  • Tyne Tees
Our North East athletes did fantastically well at the Paralympics in Rio. Credit: PA images

Laurence Whiteley: Rowing

Laurence Whiteley of Tees Rowing Club and his partner Lauren Rowles won gold in the mixed trunk and arm double sculls rowing.

The pair led from the start and held off the Chinese pair to secure Great Britain’s 17th gold of the Games.

Laurence, from Northallerton, made his Paralympic debut at Rio, after spending two and a half years waiting for a suitable partner to row with.

Matt Wylie: Swimming

Matt Wylie from Washington in Sunderland made an impressive Paralympic debut with a gold win in the S9 50m freestyle.

The 19-year-old beat Australia's Timothy Disken by just four hundredths of a second with a time of 25.95. Wylie trains alongside Josef Craig back in the North East.

Matt Wylie Credit: PA images

Stephen Miller: Athletics

North East Paralympian Stephen Miller won bronze in the club throw at Rio. The three-time Paralympic champion from Cramlington is one of the most decorated para-athletes. After captaining the British team in 2012, this is his sixth consecutive Paralympic Games.

Stephen Miller poses with his bronze medal from the Club throw F32 during the sixth day of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: PA images

Josef Craig: Swimming

Jarrow Paralympian Josef Craig won a bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle S8 final.

The 19-year-old touched in 58.19 seconds behind Chinese champion Wang Yinan while teammate Oliver Hynd was fourth in 58.85.

Josef, who swims for the City of Sunderland, was reclassified from the S7 class to S8 after turning 18.

Josef Craig with his bronze medal following the Men's 100m Freestyle - S8 Final during the fourth day of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: PA images

Terry Bywater: Wheelchair Basketball

Redcar’s Terry Bywater led Team GB’s wheelchair basketball team to a bronze medal at the Rio Paralympics.

The team seized victory from Turkey, coming from behind to win 82 – 76 in overtime.

Bywater called the performance of his team-mates “amazing” and thanked all the fans fans for their support.

Matt Crossen: Football 7-a-side

There won't be a medal for Teesside's Matt Crossen and the 7-a-side football team. But what a way to bid farewell to Rio ! Matt scored a brilliant goal as Great Britain beat Argentina to guarantee a fifth place finish.

Matt Crossen during the Men's 7 a side Football at the Deodoro Stadium during the first day of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: PA images

John Robertson: Sailing

John, from Sunderland, has represented Paralympics GB at three Paralympic Games. But the Wearside sailor returns without a medal this year. The British Sonar team, also featuring Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas, finished eighth and 10th in their race on the Escola Naval course, leaving them in ninth position overall.

John Robertson Credit: onEdition 2011

Jade Jones: Athletics

Teesside University student Jade, from Middlesbrough, won silver and bronze in Swansea in 2014 and a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, the same year.

This year, she was in action in the T54 5000M heats but sadly failed to reach the finals and the race was won in a Paralympic record by Tatyana McFadden from the USA.

Jade remains the British record holder over 400/5000m.

Jade Jones in action during the Women's 1500m T54 Round 1 Heat 2 during the fifth day of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: PA images