All the Welsh Paralympians heading to Paris 2024
The Paris Paralympics kick off on the 28th August, welcoming more than four thousand athletes to the French capital.
While Paris has hosted the Olympic Games three times, including 2024, this is the first time the country will host the Paralympics.
Many of the Olympic venues, including the Château de Versailles gardens and the Stade de France, will be re-used to host the upcoming events.
The Paralympics will run for 11 days and finish on September 8.
Timings will be similar to the Olympics, with early starts and competitions taking place throughout the day.
Here are all the Welsh Athletes competing.
Jodie Grinham
Archery -Compound Women Open- 29th-31st August
The 31 year old from Haverfordwest is already a Paralympic silver medallist, in the compound open mixed team in Rio 2016.
She also competed in the women's individual compound open in Rio, reaching the quarter-finals.
Jodie has a condition called brachysyndactyly and has a shortened left arm, an underdeveloped left shoulder, no fingers and half a thumb on her left hand.
When she took up archery in 2008, she worked with her father to develop a way to grip the bow.
Earlier this year Jodie won the individual compound women’s open title at the European Para Cup, as well as the doubles compound open silver medal with Phoebe Paterson Pine.
Jodie heads to Paris ranked world number 11 in the compound women’s open category.
Aled Davies OBE
Athletics- F63 Shot Put- 7th September 7:25pm
Aled Sion Davies OBE heads to his fourth Paralympic Games as the reigning Paralympic, World, Commonwealth and European champion.
He goes to the competition following winning his sixth consecutive (and tenth in total) World Para Athletics Championship title in May.
He represented Wales at swimming as a child while in 2005 he was invited by Disability Sport Wales to try out different Paralympic sports and picked up a shot put and discus for the first time.
The 33 year old from Bridgend is currently unbeaten in all major tournaments over the last 10 years.
Aled won Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2021 and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours list for services to athletics.
Hollie Arnold MBE
Athletics- F46 Javelin- 6th September 6:18pm
Hollie Arnold is heading to her fifth Paralympic Games, having won her sixth consecutive world title in the F46 javelin at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan.
Hollie threw a javelin for the first time at an introduction to athletics day called Star Track in 2006- remembering it she says the javelin “seemed to travel quite far".
At 14 years and 74 days old, she became the youngest ever field athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games. She threw a personal best and finished just outside the top 10 in a mixed category in Beijing.
She won gold at the Paralympics in Rio in 2016 with a new world record breaking throw, and became European and Commonwealth Games champion in 2018 – again breaking the world record on the Gold Coast.
That made Hollie the first javelin thrower to hold all four major titles in the same Paralympic/Olympic four-year cycle.
Hollie was made an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours, and in 2020 she appeared on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
Olivia Breen
Athletics- T38 Long Jump- 5th September and 100m- 31st August
Paris is Olivia Breen's fourth Paralympic games.
Olivia's international track and field career took off when she was classified as a T38 athlete in 2012.
The same year she was selected for the Paralympic Games in London (the second youngest member of the squad), where she finished fifth in the T38 100m, eighth in the T38 200m and ran a season’s best first leg time to help secure bronze in the 4 x 100m relay (alongside team-mates Jenny McLoughlin, Bethy Woodward and Katrina Hart).
More recently she has won bronze (T38 100m) at the Paralympics in Tokyo and became Commonwealth champion for a second time by winning gold in Birmingham.
She was presented with the Disability Sport Wales Female Athlete of the Year award in 2017 and was named BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2022.
Sabrina Fortune
Athletics- F20 Shot Put- 1st September
Sabrina heads to her second Paralympic Games fresh from winning her third consecutive women’s F20 Shot Put world title with a world record breaking 14.73m throw.
The 27 year old from Mold started her sports journey aged 11 when she joined an athletics club in North Wales and began competing at local tournaments in 2008.
Sabrina won bronze on her Paralympic Games debut in Rio in 2016, before becoming European champion in 2018 and World champion for the first time in 2019.
She achieved the 14-metre landmark at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris with a 14.01m throw.
To relax, Sabrina enjoys creative 3D art, baking and spending time with her dog Sparky.
Funmi Oduwaiye
Athletics- F64 Shot Put- 5th September and Discus 1st SeptemberThe 21 year old from Cardiff will be making her Paralympic debut in Paris.
She originally played basketball for Cardiff Met Archers and in 2019 (aged 16) she represented Wales in the U18 European Championships in Moldova, where she was recognised as one of the five best players in the entire tournament.
European teams expressed an interest in signing her and college scholarship opportunities in America opened up. With a professional basketball career in the making Funmi decided that it was time for a routine operation to mend her knock knees and straighten her legs.
But the surgery didn’t go as planned. An artery was damaged and despite five surgeries in the space of two weeks to correct it, she was left paralysed in her right leg from the knee down.
Her faith and love of sport remained strong, and when Funmi was introduced to the late great Anthony Hughes MBE, a key figure in the development of Para sport in Wales, a new career in shot put and discus began.
On her World Championship debut in Paris in 2023, Funmi missed out on a F64 shot put medal by just 20cms and finished sixth in the F64 discus.
Harrison Walsh
Athletics- F64 Discus- 5th September
Harrison took up para-athletics in 2017, two years after a freak leg injury whilst playing rugby for Swansea RFC left him with no feeling below his right knee.
The former Wales U18 international and development player with the Ospreys has since enjoyed a sensational rise to the top.
Harrison set a new F44 shot put world record of 15.73 metres at the 2019 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Italy.
The 28-year-old from Mumbles made his Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham in 2022, winning bronze in the F42-44 discus.
Harrison won his first World Championship medal of his career earlier this year with bronze in the F64 discus in Kobe, Japan – with a final throw of 52.48 metres taking him into the medal winning position.
Now Harrison will make his Paralympic Games debut in Paris, having missed out on competing in Tokyo due to an ankle injury.
David Smith OBE
Boccia - BC1- 29th August, 1st September, 2nd September
David is Britain’s most successful boccia player of all time, having won five medals from across four Paralympics.
David, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a baby, first played Boccia aged six when his school competed at a national junior games tournament in Stoke Mandeville.
At 14-years old he became the youngest ever British Boccia Champion, beating the then GB captain in 2003.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, David won gold in the BC1/2 Team competition.
He won a silver in the London Paralympics and gold at Rio 2016.
David defended his Paralympic title with gold in Tokyo and was British flagbearer at the closing ceremony.
David heads to Paris aiming to become a triple individual Paralympic champion.
Laura Sugar
Canoeing- KL3- 6th September, 8th September
Laura Sugar heads to Paris as the defending Paralympic champion having won gold in the Women’s KL3 200m in Tokyo
She was born with a club foot and was told that she would be fine and lead a normal life apart from playing sport.
She's in fact competed at international level in three separate sports: hockey (captaining Wales at U21 level and gained 16 senior caps), athletics (finishing fifth in both the T44 100m and 200m sprint events at the Paralympic finals in Rio) and canoeing (winning Paralympic, World and European titles).
After seeing her compete at Rio 2016 in the sprint, she was approached by British Canoeing.
Laura booked her place at the Tokyo Paralympic Games by winning gold in the Women’s KL3 200m at the Canoe Sprint European Paralympic qualifier in Szeged, Hungary.
After becoming Paralympic champion in Japan, Laura claimed her maiden world title just two weeks later in Copenhagen and was awarded an MBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours.
James Ball
Cycling- Men's B- 1st September
James Ball started his sporting career as a swimmer before moving to athletics.
The visually impaired athlete was in-line to earn selection in track and field for GB at the London Paralympic Games in 2012, before an injury ended his hopes and aspirations. He persisted with athletics until a further string of injuries in 2015 left him unsure of his future.
As part of his return to fitness, James took part in turbo testing arranged by British Cycling and his potential on a bicycle was discovered.
James then represented Paralympics GB at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where he finished fifth in the kilo with pilot Craig McClean.
James competed at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, winning silver in the men's 1000m time trial (with Lewis Stewart).
He heads to his third Paralympics alongside his pilot Steffan Lloyd, who'll be making his debut.
Georgia WilsonEquestrian- Grade 2- 3rd September, 7th September
Georgia Wilson heads to her second Paralympic Games having won two bronze medals in the Grade II Dressage competition on her debut in Tokyo riding Sakura.
Georgia started riding when she was two-years old after her mum was advised by Georgia’s physio that it would help with her balance.
Georgia’s first pony was a Shetland called Diana, who was followed by a pony called Poppy.
Georgia joined the Pony Club and the RDA at Clwyd SRC, attending her first RDA nationals on Aaron, a palomino pony. That’s when she got the bug for dressage, and she also competed with BYRDs Wales team.
Since 2022, Georgia and Sakura (who is now 10-years old) haven’t finished off the podium in any of their international starts.
In 2023, a call-up came for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Riesenbeck, where they earned themselves team bronze, individual silver and freestyle silver.
Gemma Collis
Fencing- Category A Épée- 6th September and Sabre- 3rd September
Less than a year after taking up the sport at Durham University (where she studied law), Gemma Collis was competing for GB in her first Paralympic Games in London 2012.
Having been a torchbearer at the opening ceremony, Gemma finished 8th in the Women’s Team Épée. Competing alongside Gabi Down and Justine Moore, the young trio had an average age of just 18.
She also competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, finishing eighth in the Women’s Category A Épée.
Gemma heads to Paris for her third Paralympics on great form, having won gold at the 2023 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Italy.
That result took Gemma to world number one for the first time in her career.
Benjamin Pritchard
Rowing- PR1 M1x- 30th August, 1st September
Growing up on the Gower, Ben developed his competitive edge by learning to sail at Mumbles Yacht Club. This evolved into a passion and prowess for cycling and triathlon before an accident in 2016 saw him paralysed from the rib cage down.
Taking up rowing for the first-time during rehab at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Ben loved the freedom that rowing gave him, plus the opportunity to compete.
Ben finished fifth in the PR1 men’s single on his Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo and has since then developed into a consistent medallist, winning two World Championship bronze medals in 2022 and 2023.
And in his final competition before Paris, Ben won his first career gold medal at the World Rowing Cup in Poznan, Poland – all the more fitting considering this was the place where he started his international rowing career.
Rhys Darbey
Swimming -S14- 4th September
Rhys went swimming three times a week as a baby and loved it so much that he joined Connah's Quay Swimming Club. When he was just eight years old he decided that he wanted to race in competitions.
He moved to Nofio Clwyd Performance Club when he was 11, which is where he still trains today, swimming 16 hours a week and attending regular gym sessions.
Rhys made his international breakthrough in 2023 when he secured qualification for the Manchester Para Swimming World Championships in the Men’s SM14 200m Individual Medley event – securing Silver after a storming swim on the closing freestyle leg of the race.
The teenager backed up his performance in Manchester with another stunning swim at the Speedo Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in London to earn his place in Team GB – finishing comfortably inside the nomination time in the 200m IM.
Rhys, who has been on the Welsh Squad for three years and has trained and competed in different countries with Swim Wales and Aquatics GB, is the first Welsh para-swimmer to qualify for the Paralympic Games since 2012.
Tom Matthews
Table Tennis- Class 1- 3rd September, 6th September, Class 4 (Doubles)- 29th August, 31st August, Class 7 (Mixed Doubles)- 29th August, 1st September
As a teenager, Tom had his sights set on becoming a professional mountain biker when a fall in March 2009 broke his neck which meant him becoming a wheelchair user at the age of 16.
While undergoing rehab in Rookwood Hospital in Llandaff, he was encouraged to try table tennis by Jim Munkley from Disability Sport Wales and GB international Sara Head, who worked at the hospital as a volunteer.
Tom made his international table tennis debut at the 2013 Hungarian Open and was invited to join the GB Pathway Squad. Tom made his Paralympic debut in Tokyo, winning bronze in the men’s class 1 singles.
The 32-year-old from Aberdare thrives in major tournaments and won gold in the men’s singles at the 2023 Czech Open, secured bronze at the 2023 European Championships in Sheffield and reached the final at the Slovenia Open this year by beating the world number one and the world number three.
Tom will compete in Paris, having received a wild card from the IPC after just missing out on automatic qualification.
Paul Karabardak
Table Tennis- Class 6- 2nd September, 6th September, Class 14 (Doubles)- 29th August, 1st September
A clot on his brain resulted in Paul having a massive stroke at the age of 10, leaving him with left sided hemiplegia.
Having been a keen football player, Paul found that he could put his excellent hand-eye co-ordination to good use when he was introduced to table tennis at a local youth club.
Within two years he was playing in the Swansea League and was selected to play for the GB Para Table Tennis Team at the age of 16 in the European Championships, winning a team bronze medal.
Paul won his first Paralympic medals at his fourth Paralympic Games in Tokyo, taking bronze in the men’s class 6 singles and then combining with old team partner Will Bayley to take silver in the men’s class 6-7 team event.
Paul has won many medals at World and European level and in 2022 he became world champion for the first time when winning gold in the men’s class 14 doubles with a new partner in Billy Shilton.
Paris 2024 will be Paul’s fifth Paralympic Games.
Joshua StaceyTable Tennis- Class 9- 3rd September, 7th September, Class 18 (Doubles)- 29th August, 1st September, Class 17 (Mixed Doubles)-29th August, 31st August
Josh Stacey was the youngest Welsh athlete to compete at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and he returns to the biggest sporting stage as reigning Commonwealth Games Champion.
He picked up the sport aged 13, at a lunchtime taster session at his secondary school, Eastern High in Cardiff.
Having won gold at the 2017 Belgium Open, the player, who has cerebral palsy, won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia in the Men’s TT6-10 Singles.
Having won multiple medals at IPTT Opens around the world – including the Czech Open, Japan Open, Polish Open and the Lignano Master Open in Italy – Josh became U21 Welsh National Champion in 2020.
Josh made his Paralympic debut in Tokyo, reaching the quarter-finals in both the men’s class 9 singles and the men’s class 9-10 team (with Ashley Facey).
In addition to the singles, the 24-year old will also compete in Paris in the men’s class 18 doubles with three-time Paralympic team medallist Aaron McKibbin. The pair made a successful start to their partnership by taking gold in the Slovenia Open in May, followed by gold in the Czech Open in June.
Rob Davies Table Tennis- Class 1- 3rd September, 6th September, Class 4 (Doubles)- 29th August, 31st August
Rob played semi-professional rugby until a collapsed scrum playing for Brecon RFC against Ynysybwl RFC left him with a broken neck.
He was air-lifted to hospital by a helicopter, which, in an odd twist of fate, had half an hour earlier rescued his twin brother Richard from a road accident.
Whilst his brother went on to make a full recovery, Rob was treated at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff before going to a specialist spinal unit at Rookwood Hospital in Llandaff, where he regained some use of his arms and hands.
During his rehabilitation there, he met Para table tennis international Sara Head, who was doing voluntary work at the hospital, and he was introduced to the sport.
At the London Paralympic Games in 2012, Rob beat Philip Quinlan (Ireland) but couldn’t quite reach the knockout stages after a 2-3 defeat to the then world number one Jean-Francois Ducay (France).
At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Rob took home a gold medal, after beating Joo Young-dae of South Korea 3-1 in the final.
In 2016 Rob received an MBE in the New Year Honours List for services to table tennis.
Rob was unable to defend his Paralympic title in Tokyo owing to a shoulder injury but Paris will mark his third Paralympic Games.
Beth Munro
Taekwondo- K44- 30th August
Having played netball and thrown the javelin, Beth attended a multi-sports event in Conwy in 2019.
Her talent was spotted by the late Anthony Hughes MBE, who encouraged Beth to move to Cardiff and take up taekwondo.
Beth won gold in her very first international competition, the 2021 European Taekwondo Olympic Qualification tournament in Bulgaria, to secure her place at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Less than two years after taking up the sport, Beth won a silver medal on her Paralympic debut – which was the UK's first Taekwondo medal.
Since then, world number one Beth has won back-to-back European titles (2022 and ’23) and won silver at the 2023 World Championships.
She also has a masters degree in Health Psychology.
Matt Bush
Taekwondo- K44- 31st August
Having played both football and rugby at club and county level, the multi-talented Matt Bush will make his Paralympic Games debut in Paris as the reigning world Para-taekwondo champion.
It should be Matt’s third Paralympic appearance, but injuries ruled him out of both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Tokyo was the first time taekwondo had been a part of the Paralympics and Matt was due to arrive in Japan as Britain's first male world Para-taekwondo champion – which he’d won in 2019, just two years after taking up the sport.
However, on return from injury, Matt won his first gold medal for 28 months at the 2023 World Championships in Mexico and has gone on to win gold at the 2023 World Championships in Azerbaijan.
Matt, who used to work in a chocolate factory and now works in the family business distributing cheese and other dairy products around Wales, automatically qualified for Paris as one of the top six-ranked male athletes in the +80kg category.
Phil Pratt
Wheelchair Basketball- 3.0- 29th August, 7th September
Phil will captain the Paralympics GB Wheelchair Basketball squad in Paris as the 30-year-old athlete aims for Men’s Team success at the Paralympic Games.
Phil made his GB debut in the Men’s B Team at the 2012 Standard Life Continental Clash and a few months later was a flag bearer at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. He was co-captain of the GB Men’s team that won silver at the 2022 World Championships and named in the Men’s All-Star Five.
Phil plays for the Amiab Albacete team in Spain, who are the European wheelchair basketball Champions.
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