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Maisie Summers-Newton vowed to put her new teaching CV to good use by mentoring some of the younger members of Britain’s Paralympic swimming team after confidently defending her 200m individual SM6 medley title.
Summers-Newton was a fresh-faced teenager when she made her Paralympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, where she was crowned a double champion in the 200m medley and SB6 breaststroke.
She has returned to the Paralympic stage not only as a faster athlete but also a more rounded one, having qualified as a primary school teacher last year. But rather than harbouring ambitions to swap the pool for the classroom, she is ready to take on the mantle as the “mother” of the squad after being anointed a three-time Paralympic champion at the age of 22.
“I’ve definitely become more of a senior member of the team,” said a matter-of-fact Summers-Newton, who destroyed a high-quality field to roar home in 2 minutes 56.90.
“We’ve got such young athletes like Iona [Winnifrith] Poppy [Maskill] coming up. And they’re all doing so well. For me, it’s to try and inspire them, kind of give them the knowledge that I can as much as possible, but also focus on myself and still try and swim really well.
“I’d like to think I’m quite a caring, motherly type of person. I’ve got two younger sisters, so I think it comes quite naturally to me in a sense.”
She is also quietly determined to continue her dominance in this event and teach her rivals a thing or two about staying at the top. This is a woman who spent much of her junior career making a quiet splash behind the great Ellie Simmonds, the five-time Paralympic champion and her former S6 competitor who she idolised growing up. Now there is a true sense the baton has passed.
Summers-Newton has dominated this event over the past Paralympic cycle and was in the form of her life coming into Paris, having lowered her own SM6 world record from the Tokyo Games at the Citi Para Swimming World Series in Berlin.
But even a swimmer of her pedigree is struck by pre-race nerves. Halfway through, the USA’s Ellie Marks was stroke and a half in front of her after the backstroke leg but Summers-Newton responded with a dominant breaststroke display to overtake the American and never looked back.
“There’s a lot of pressure being Paralympic champion and then trying to defend your title,” reflected Summers-Newton, who has achondroplasia and competes in events for people with short stature. “It’s been a lot but I’m just trying to enjoy it and remind myself, you’ve been at the top since 2018. It’s a long time. When you come to a Paralympic Games, obviously you want to get the medal more than anything.”
Her status as one of the poster girls of the British para swimming team along with Tully Kearney – who grabbed her second gold of the Games after triumphing in the women’s 100m freestyle S5 final – is all but secured.
09:14 PM BST
Day two highlights
It was once again in the pool and in the velodrome where ParalympicsGB shone on day two of the Games.
There was a total of nine medals with the swimmers and cyclists picking up two golds each leaving GB second in the table behind China.
GB’s Jaco van Gass won gold in the final of the men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit after beating team-mate Finlay Graham who took home silver.
ParalympicsGB’s Elizabeth Jordan claimed gold in the women’s B 1000m time trial with her pilot Danni Khan.
Maisie Summers-Newton stormed to gold in the women’s SM6 200m individual medley to retain her title from Tokyo 2020.
Tully Kearney triumphed in the women’s S5 100m freestyle to defend her title from Tokyo 2020 and add to her 200m gold from Thursday.
09:05 PM BST
Gold medal hopefuls on day three of the Games
With 49 medals up for grabs on Saturday, ParalympicsGB will be hoping to add to their total of 15 so far and the six golds. Here is what to look out for on day three of the Games.
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09:19 (Q) /13:07 (F) – Jaco van Gass will be looking for a second gold in the men’s C1-3 1,000m time trial.
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10:14 (Q) /13:55 (F) – Archie Atkinson is hoping to triumph in the C4 4,000m individual pursuit.
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17:06 – Alice Tai is set to feature in the S8 100m backstroke as strong favourite to win her first individual gold.
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18:35/19:06 – Thomas Young and Sophie Hahn will look to defend their T38 100m crowns.
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19:00 – In Para-archery, defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine and Jodie Grinham, who is seven months pregnant, are in the hunt for medals in the women’s compound.
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19:10 – GB’s youngest team member, 13-year-old Iona Winnifrith, will hope to reach the final of the women’s SM7 200m individual medley,
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19:25 – An in-form David Weir will hope for victory in the T54 5,000m.
08:54 PM BST
An emotional Whiston after picking up silver
08:49 PM BST
Weir safely through
David Weir has won his heat in the T54 5000m and will compete for his seventh gold in the final of the event on Saturday at 19:39 BST.
The race took a slow and tactical pace with the top five of the six athletes going through and Weir cruised through with a time of 11:17.91.
It was Aaron Pike of the USA to not qualify after finishing sixth.
The British six-time gold medallist joins reigning champion Marcel Hug in the medal race.
08:39 PM BST
Weir underway in T54 5000m heat
Up next is the six-time Paralympic gold medal winner David Weir who is now GB’s medal hopeful in this event after Sidbury’s withdrawal.
Weir has the fastest personal best and season’s best in this heat. He is underway here at the Stade de France as he looks to book a place in Saturday’s final.
08:35 PM BST
Sidbury with a DNF in T54 5000m heat
It’s a big disappointment for Britain’s Daniel Sidbury who withdrew from his T54 5000m heat.
It was the defending champion Marcel Hug of Switzerland who wins the first heat with a time of 10:35.08 wiuth Brent Lakatos of Canada not far behind.
It’s then a huge gap to the rest of the field with Thailand’s Khongrak, China’s Ma, and USA’s Seaman making up the five to advance.
08:25 PM BST
Sidbury up first for Brits in T54 5000m
GB’s Daniel Sidbury is up first in the opening heat of the men’s T54 5000m with the top five of each race advancing to the final, which is set to take place on Saturday at 19:39 BST.
The Brit will be up against defending champion Marcel Hug, of Switzerland, who is the world record holder with a time of 9:13.81.
Sidbury and team-mate David Weir are the only other men in the competition with personal bests below 9:14.
08:13 PM BST
Choong turns group stage match around
Great Britain’s Rachel Choong has won her opening women’s singles SH6 group match, beating Peru’s Rubi Milagros Fernandez Vargas 2-1.
The 30-year-old went 1-0 down after losing the opening game 21-14 but won the second and third games 21-19 and 21-17 to turn things around.
08:06 PM BST
Choong in badminton decider
Elsewhere in the para badminton, Great Britain’s Rachel Choong is in a decider in her opening women’s singles SH6 group match.
The 30-year-old lost the first game to Peru’s Rubi Milagros Fernandez Vargas 21-14 but clinched the second 21-19 to level proceedings.
08:01 PM BST
Weir hungry for seventh gold
ParalympicsGB’s David Weir is a six-time Paralympic gold medal winner and has ten medals in total.
He is set to compete in his seventh Games after making his debut in Atlanta 28 years ago aged just 17.
Despite his last medal coming at London 2012 when he won four golds, Weir is coming into the Games in good form having broke the T54 5000m British record in February.
He finished just 0.2 seconds behind Marcel Hug as the Swiss set a new world record.
07:57 PM BST
Another gold for China in the pool
There is slight confusion in the pool in the mixed 4x50m freestyle relay as the scoreboard says Brazil have won but it was in fact China who claimed gold with a world record of 2:14.98.
The confusion came with a Brazilian swimmer still in the pool after completing the second leg.
07:52 PM BST
Weir and Sidbury in action shortly
ParalympicsGB’s David Weir and Daniel Sidbury are still set to compete this evening as they look to book a place in the men’s 5000m T54 final. The first of the two heats is scheduled to begin at 20:02 BST.
Sidbury’s heat contains Marcel Hug of Switzerland who set the world record for this event in February with a time of 9:13.81.
07:45 PM BST
Summers-Newton collects gold
Maisie Summers-Newton collected her gold medal earlier on after winning the women’s SM6 200m individual medley.
This was GB’s second gold in the pool today and their fourth in total on day 2 of the Games.
07:40 PM BST
Gold for China on the track
Back on the track and China’s Wen Xiaoyan has retained her women’s 200m T37 title in comfortable fashion to claim her sixth Paralympic gold.
She clocked a time 25.86 seconds while Ukraine’s Nataliia Kobzar takes silver in 27.43, with China’s Jiang Fenfen crossing the line third.
07:31 PM BST
Whiston takes silver
Brock Whiston has won silver in the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke on her Paralympics debut after finishing behind Spain’s Anastasiya Dmytriv Dmytriv who clocked a time of 1:19.75.
The Brit put pressure on the 16-year-old world champion towards the end of the race but the margin was too big after a strong first length from the Spaniard.
Viktoriia Ishchiulova of the Neutral Paralympic Athletes took home bronze while Ireland’s Ellen Keane will be disappointed to narrowly miss out in fourth.
07:27 PM BST
Whiston up next
The swimmers are now making their way out for the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke final.
Brock Whiston of GB holds the world record in this event and in qualifying, was joint-second alongside Ireland’s Ellen Keane.
In poll position was 16-year-old world champion Anastasiya Dmytriv of Spain.
07:24 PM BST
Shephard wins group stage match
Elsewhere in the para badminton, GB’s Jack Shephard has beaten Brazil’s Vitor Tavares in an enthralling contest in the men’s singles SH6 group stage.
The Brit went 1-0 up before being forced to a decider but held his nerve to run out 2-1 winner thanks to a narrow scoreline of 21-19 in the final game.
07:10 PM BST
Whiston in action shortly
Our attention returns to the pool once again for the final GB representative this evening with Brock Whiston set to go for gold in the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke final.
It was scheduled to get going around 19:20 BST but proceedings in the pool are slightly delayed.
She is up against 16-year-old world champion Anastasiya Dmytriv of Spain.
07:05 PM BST
Double gold for Kearney
06:55 PM BST
Ferreira wins T47 100m
Petrucio Ferreira has won a third successive men’s 100m T47 Paralympic title. The Brazilian trailed with 10m to go but finished strongly to clinch gold.
Ferreira wins in 10.68 seconds ahead of American Korban Best and Moroccan Aymane El Haddaoui.
06:53 PM BST
Bayley and Perry beaten in dramatic fashion
ParalympicsGB’s Will Bayley and Martin Perry have been beaten by Berthier and Herrault of France in the men’s doubles MD14 Para Table Tennis quarter-final.
The Brits mounted a valiant comeback bringing the tie to 2-2 after losing the opening two games but they couldn’t quite complete the comeback and were beaten 11-9 in the decider.
Great character from GB’s men to get themselves back into it but it wasn’t enough.
06:42 PM BST
Bayley and Perry level
GB’s Will Bayley and Martin Perry have levelled proceedings against the French duo of Berthier and Herrault in the men’s doubles MD14 Para Table Tennis quarter-final.
The British duo won the fourth game 11-7 to force things into a decider. A monumental effort to get back into this one, can they complete the comeback?
06:41 PM BST
Gomes wins T37 100m
It is the Brazilian Ricardo Gomes who takes home gold in the T37 100m final.
The 34-year-old clocks a time of 11.07 to beat Saptoyogo Purnomo who claims silver while Andrei Vdovin wins bronze.
06:38 PM BST
100m finals up next
Up next on the track are back-to-back 100m finals with the T37 classification before the T47 final.
Brazil’s Ricardo Gomes is the fastest man in the T37 final with a personal best of 11.05 seconds while his team-mate Petrucio Ferreira in the T47 race is the fastest Paralympian in the world.
06:35 PM BST
First medal on the track goes to Belgium
Maxime Carabin of Belgium has claimed gold in the first track event of the evening session in the men’s 400m T52 final.
The 23-year-old world record holder crossed the line in in 55.10 seconds ahead of Japanese pair Tomoki Sato and Tomoyo Ito.
06:32 PM BST
Brits pull one back in table tennis
GB’s Will Bayley and Martin Perry have pulled one back against the French duo of Berthier and Herrault to make it 2-1 in the men’s doubles MD14 Para Table Tennis quarter-final.
The Brits needed four game points before winning 11-9 but now need to win the next two to progress to the semis.
06:26 PM BST
Kearney speaks after second gold of Games
06:24 PM BST
Action on the track
There are eight gold medals up for grabs in the first evening session of the para athletics at the Stade de France after six were awarded this morning.
For ParalympicsGB, six-time Paralympic champion David Weir and world bronze medallist Daniel Sidbury are involved in the first round of the men’s 5,000m T54 event.
06:22 PM BST
Bayley and Perry 2-0 down
Will Bayley and Martin Perry of ParalympicsGB have now gone 2-0 down against Berthier and Herrault in the men’s doubles MD14 Para Table Tennis quarter-final.
The Brits lost the second game 11-9. It’s a best of five contest so just one more game needed for the home favourites.
06:11 PM BST
A wait for Whiston
We now have a wait until the next British representative in the pool. Brock Whiston will be going for gold in the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke final at around 19:20 BST.
Elsewhere, Will Bayley and Martin Perry are 1-0 down against the French duo of Berthier and Herrault in the men’s doubles MD14 Para Table Tennis quarter-final.
Bayley has three individual Paralympics medals, including one gold in Rio, and a team silver from Tokyo.
06:05 PM BST
Van Gass gold after remarkable journey
Jaco van Gass revealed earlier how he was hit by a car in Paris just a week before his gold medal success, and his concerns that he may not be able to compete as he was taken to hospital overnight and for scans.
But in an aside after the scrum of interviews, I asked him if he felt built for trauma and conflict. Obviously, the man who joined the Parachute Regiment, was deployed to Afghanistan, and who sustained life-changing injuries, losing his left arm below the elbow after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, has been through so much.
“I think you just learn to cope with life,” he told me. Some are different, though. Like Van Gass. Back tomorrow for more cycling and taekwondo.
06:02 PM BST
Back-to-back golds for Kearney and Summers-Newton
05:55 PM BST
Not to be for British twins
Liesette Bruinsma of the Netherlands has won the women’s S11 400m freestyle with a time of 5:00.42 with Zhang Xiaotong of China coming in second and Daria Lukianenko taking bronze.
It wasn’t to be for the British twins with Scarlett Humphrey finishing in sixth while her sister Eliza came home in eighth. Nevertheless, an impressive debut for the 19-year-olds.
05:46 PM BST
British twins in action
Up next in the pool is the women’s S11 400m freestyle with British twins Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey involved.
This classification is for those with visual impairments.
05:44 PM BST
Munro reflects on performance
“That felt like the Tokyo final all over again.
“I went out with a gameplan and I probably wasn’t quick enough to change it. I knew what side to maybe go and clinch and she was really good at blocking that side. We all have a disadvantage with our arms so we aim for that side, which is not a nice thing to say but that’s the sport we’re in. When it’s not working, you shouldn’t continue it. She did well to close off the gaps and score coming in.
“I’m truly devastated not to be walking away with a medal but that’s sport, that’s taekwondo. It just didn’t go my way today and it’s on me.”
05:43 PM BST
Rest and reflection for Munro after disappointing day
After losing in her Taekwondo repechage, Beth Munro has discussed how helpful it was to have loved ones on hand.
She said: “I gave them a call in between because of the element of guilt and disappointment – you feel like you’ve let people down.
“The reassurance from my mum was ‘I’m always going to be proud of you whatever happens’ and I suppose you just need to hear that from your mum sometimes.”
Asked whether she would consider continuing to the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028, Munro said: “I’ve got a good few weeks off now to go away and reflect. If come those five or six weeks I’ve got that burning desire, which I suppose being competitive I will, you might see me in the near future, definitely.”
05:35 PM BST
Jordan picks up gold
ParalympicsGB’s Elizabeth Jordan is now receiving her gold after triumphing in the women’s B 1000m time trial with her pilot Danni Khan.
Team-mates Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl have picked up their bronze after finishing behind Australia’s Jessica Gallagher.
A great moment for the GB cycling team as the naitonal anthem rings around the velodrome.
05:33 PM BST
GB level with China
After that flurry of medals in the pool, ParalympicsGB are completely level with China with both nations having six golds, five silvers and three bronzes to their name.
Brock Whiston will hope add to the two golds already in the pool for GB this evening when she takes part in the SB8 100m breaststroke final at around 19:20 BST.
05:29 PM BST
Coombs wins second group game
Krysten Coombs has kept his hopes of reaching the quarter-finals alive after winning his second group match in the para-badminton men’s singles SH6.
The Brit was forced into a decider by Indonesia’s Subhan Subhan but won the third game 21-18.
05:27 PM BST
Summers-Newton contending with self-doubt ahead of gold
Maisie Summers-Newton has discussed the self-doubt she experienced before winning gold in the women’s SM6 200m individual medley.
She told Channel 4: “I was really nervous. I come with a lot of self-doubt, no matter how hard we train in the pool, no matter how well I swim throughout the season.
“When I got in and I could see how close I was to some of the girls, that are usually ahead of me on the fly and on the back, I thought ‘you’re in a really good place here’.
“I just can’t believe it. It’s been such an amazing three years since Tokyo. Finishing my university degree, carrying on my swimming alongside that and now defending my Paralympic title.”
05:24 PM BST
Kearney discusses ‘incredible’ gold
Speaking after her gold medal success, Kearney told Channel 4: “[It’s] pretty incredible. I was a bit concerned about this one. To retain my title means everything to me.”
Having own her first gold on Thursday evening, she said: “It was such a late night and early start and not long in between to rest. It was really hard for all of us who swam last night to keep the energy up.
“This crowd is incredible. Because I am the first event tonight, there’s way more people here than there were yesterday. They gave me that big push.”
On whether she expected to win two golds, she said: “No definitely not. I’m just so grateful for the team for helping me get here and for everyone that’s helped us get here.”
05:21 PM BST
Kearney’s medal ceremony
Back to the pool and it’s Tully Kearney’s turn now to receive her gold medal after victory in the women’s S5 100m freestyle.
The second time she has enjoyed this experience in the last two days after winning the 200m on Thursday.
05:18 PM BST
Van Gass receives gold
ParalympicsGB’s Jaco van Gass has just received his gold after winning the men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit, beating team-mate Finlay Graham in the final, who has just received his silver.
‘God Save the King’ plays around the velodrome and feels particularly fitting after the British one-two once again in this event after the pair came in first and second in Tokyo.
05:15 PM BST
Emphatic from Summers-Newton
Maisie Summers-Newton emphatically defended her 200m individual SM6 medley title at the Paris Games.
The 22-year-old destroyed a high-quality field to scoop her third Paralympic gold – and first of these Games – in 2 minutes 56.90.
The USA’s Ellie Marks was stroke and a half in front after the backstroke leg but Summers-Newton roared back in the dominant breaststroke display and never looked back as she finished well ahead of her nearest rival.
The Northampton native was a fresh-faced teenager when she made her Paralympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, where she was crowned a double champion in the 200m medley and SB6 breaststroke.
She has returned to the Paralympic stage not only as a faster athlete but also a more rounded one, having qualified as a teacher last year but harbours no ambitions of swapping the pool for the classroom any time soon. Instead, she remains quietly determined to keep continuing her dominance in this event and teaching her rivals a thing or two about staying at the top.
It is no less than she deserves. This is a woman who spent much of her junior career making a quiet splash behind the great Ellie Simmonds, the five-time Paralympic champion and her former S6 competitor who she idolised growing up. Now there is a true sense the baton has passed.
She came into these Games as one of two reigning champions in Britain’s swimming squad alongside S5 100m freestyle gold medallist Tully Kearney, who won her second gold of the Games after triumphing in the women’s 100m freestyle S5 final.
05:13 PM BST
Phenomenal from Summers-Newton
05:08 PM BST
Summers-Newton takes gold
Maisie Summers-Newton has won gold in the women’s SM6 200m Individual Medley final to claim GB’s second gold of the evening in the pool and retain her title from Tokyo 2020.
The Brit, who holds the Paralympic and world record, clocked a time of 2:56.90 to win by a huge margin of over five seconds.
After falling behind at the halfway mark, Summers-Newton utilised her strength in the breaststroke to establish a huge lead going into the final length before powering home on the freestyle.
Ellie Marks of the US finished in second while Liu Daomin of China took home bronze. Harvey Grace was just outside the medals in fourth for GB.
05:02 PM BST
Summers-Newton up next
Up next in the pool is the women’s SM6 200m Individual Medley final and GB will be hoping that world and Paralympic record holder Maisie Summers-Newton will claim the second gold of the evening and retain her title.
Grace Harvey is also involved for GB.
05:01 PM BST
World record for China as GB miss out
China have retaken the lead in the medal table after Yang Hong broke the world record in the men’s SM6 200m individual medley.
GB’s Bruce Dee was narrowly out of the medals after finishing in fourth.
04:59 PM BST
Munro beaten in repechage
Beth Munro has been beaten 10-2 by Denmark’s Lisa Gjessing in the K44 -65kg repechage meaning there will be no medal for the Brit.
It was a repeat of the Paralympic -58kg final from three years ago, which Gjessing also won, and marks the end of a disappointing day for the world number one.
04:54 PM BST
Golds for Ukraine and Israel in the pool
Either side of Tully Kearney’s phenomonal gold-medal victory, Ukraine’s Oleksander Komarov won gold in the men’s S5 100m freestyle before Ami Omer Dadaon of Israel took home gold in the men’s S4 100m freestyle.
04:51 PM BST
Van Gass hit by car week before Gold
After winning the men’s C3 3,000m individual pursuit, Jaco van Gass discussed how he was hit by a car in Paris just a week before his gold medal success.
He said: “I had a little accident last Friday, we did a recce of the road course last week, a car pulled out in front of me and I went over the bonnet.
“We went through significant concussion protocols, I took a day off to let my body settle, then I was back on the bike.
“I was heartbroken, I literally thought this could be my Paralympics done.
“Other people saw me, they helped calm me down.
“The next day is always the hardest as the body settles down, the Saturday was very hard to kind of comprehend – would I be riding?
“By Sunday I was riding on the track again.”
04:49 PM BST
Coombs wins opening game in para-badminton
After an opening day defeat, GB’s Krysten Coombs is back in para-badminton action and has started strongly taking the opening game 21-15 against Subhan Subhan of Indonesia.
04:47 PM BST
GB go top of medal table
After that gold from Kearney ParalympicsGB have now gone top of the medal table, level with China for golds and silvers but with one more bronze.
04:42 PM BST
Kearney wins gold
Tully Kearney wins gold in the women’s S5 100m freestyle to retain her title from Tokyo 2020 and add to her 200m gold from Thursday.
Iryna Poida of Ukraine edged the lead in the opening length but – in a similar fashion to yesterday’s race – Kearney really utilised her turn to take the lead before powering home to victory.
The Brit clocked a time of 1:15.10 over two seconds ahead of Poida in the end while Monica Boggioni came in third for bronze.
04:41 PM BST
Kearney underway
Tully Kearney is underway in the final of the women’s S5 100m freestyle. Can she retain her Paralympic title and builds on yesterday’s gold?
04:36 PM BST
Kearney up first in the pool
Up first for GB in the pool this evening, is Tully Kearney going for gold in the women’s S5 100m freestyle as she looks to defend her Paralympic crown in the event.
The Brit won gold on Thursday in the women’s S5 200m freestyle – an upgrade on her silver from Tokyo 2020.
The 27-year-old was the fastest qualifier in this morning’s heats and holds the world and Paralympic record.
04:32 PM BST
Gold and bronze for GB in women’s time trial
ParalympicsGB’s Elizabeth Jordan won gold in the women’s B 1000m time trial with her pilot Danni Khan.
Team-mates Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl clinched third spot behind Australia’s Jessica Gallagher.
04:29 PM BST
GB with most medals so far
Great Britain’s two medals of each colour in the velodrome this afternoon take them to an unmatched total of 12 medals in total across the Games.
ParalympicsGB sit second though in the medal table, one gold behind China.
04:27 PM BST
Munro looking for bronze chances
There is big British interest in the taekwondo with Beth Munro looking for redemption after her shock defeat in the quarter-final earlier.
She is up against Denmark’s Lisa Kjaer in a repeat of the K44 -58kg Paralympic final in Tokyo, in which Kjaer beat Munro for the gold.
The winner of this repechage bout, which gets underway shortly, gets a shot at bronze.
04:24 PM BST
All eyes on the pool
Attention turns from the velodrome to the Paris La Defense Arena and the action in the pool with plenty of medal hopefuls in action for ParalympicsGB.
Tully Kearney, who won gold on Thursday in the S5 200m freestyle, is targeting gold again in the S5 100m freestyle at16:37 BST after qualifying fastest.
Meanwhile, fellow Tokyo champion Maisie Summers-Newton also won her heat in the SM6 200m individual medley and is certainly hoping to take home gold at 17:00.
Twins Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey are also in the hunt for medals in the S11 400m freestyle.
04:17 PM BST
Raining golds for ParalympicsGB
04:09 PM BST
Jordan wins gold in 1000m time trial
ParalympicsGB’s Elizabeth Jordan has won gold in the women’s B 1000m time trial with her pilot Danni Khan.
The British pair clocked a time of 1:06.976 to take the lead in the final tandem of the event by a convincing margin of over half a second.
It means team-mates Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl drop into third but they claim bronze.
Jessica Gallagher and pilot Caitlin Ward of Australia pick up silver after Jordan and Khan beat their time of 1:07.533.
GB’s Lora Fachie and pilot Corrine Hall finish outside the medals in fourth.
04:04 PM BST
Australians into lead
Jessica Gallagher and pilot Caitlin Ward have gone into the gold-medal position in the women’s B 1000m time trial final.
The Australian pair established a convincing lead in the opening stages gaining a one second lead at halfway and despite slowing they managed to cross the line with a time of 1:07.533.
That guarantees Gallagher a silver with only the British pair of Lizzi Jordan and Danni Khan left to race.
Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl drop to the silver-medal spot.
03:58 PM BST
Unwin takes lead as Brits occupy top two spots
Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl have taken the lead from team-mates Lora Fachie and Corinne Hall in the womens B 1000m time trial final.
Unwin and her pilot started strongly before extending their lead to clock a time of 1:07.89 – more than a second faster than Fachie and Hall.
That guarantees the pair a medal with just two tandoms to go including the British pair of Lizzi Jordan and Danni Khan who qualified fastest.
It’s the Australian pair of Jessica Gallagher and pilot Caitlin Ward up next though.
03:52 PM BST
Brits take lead
Lora Fachie and Corinne Hall have taken the lead from Ireland after clocking a time of 1:09.181.
There are three riders to go including the two other British tandems. Its Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl up next.
If the following attempts go to form, it is hard to see Fachie hanging on to a medal.
03:51 PM BST
British interest in women’s B 1000m
Attention turns to the womens B 1,000m time trial final with three British tandems involved. Lora Fachie and pilot Corinne Hall are up next before Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl have their attempt ahead of world champions Lizzi Jordan and Danni Khan.
Ireland have taken an early lead over the US. The attempts are taken in order of slowest to fastest qualifiers so expect the times to improve.
03:44 PM BST
Gold again for Van Gass
Gold for Jaco van Gass once more. In a repeat of the Tokyo final in the men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit between the British pair van Gass and Finlay Graham, they repeated gold and silver.
Graham set a new world record in the qualifier earlier today only for it to be broken moments later by Van Gass.
What a story South African-born Jaco van Gass is … he came to Britain at the age of 20, to pursue his ambition of joining the British Armed Forces.
After completing his training, he joined the Parachute Regiment, and was deployed to Afghanistan. It was during his second tour of the country that he sustained life-changing injuries, losing his left arm below the elbow after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Following his injury, Van Gass undertook a number of incredible physical challenges, and made his international para-cycling debut in 2013.
03:36 PM BST
Van Gass wins gold in GB one-two
ParalympicsGB’s Jaco van Gass has won gold in the final of the men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit, comfortably beating team-mate Finlay Graham who takes home silver.
It’s a repeat of the Tokyo 2020 final with van Gass claiming his second successive gold in the event after also beating Graham in the gold-medal showdown three years ago.
It was comfortable in the end for the 38-year-old, beating his team-mate by over four seconds after clocking a time of 3:18.460 while Graham crossed the line in 3:22.540.
03:33 PM BST
British showdown underway
The final of the men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit is now underway between the British pair Jaco van Gass and Finlay Graham.
It’s Van Gass that establishes an early lead – about half a second ahead at the two-lap mark. At the 1000m mark it’s grown to a 1.3 second lead.
Halfway into the race and Van Gass has over a two second margin over his team-mate now.
03:28 PM BST
So close for Cundy
03:21 PM BST
All-British final moments away
We are quickly approaching the final of the men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit between the British pair Jaco van Gass and Finlay Graham.
It was van Gass who claimed gold in the event in the Tokyo Games three years ago in front of his team-mate Graham who picked up silver.
It is set to be an enthralling showdown after Graham set a new world record in the qualifier earlier today only for it to be broken moments later by Van Gass.
03:17 PM BST
Robertson receives medal
Matthew Robertson is now receiving his bronze medal following his excellent final ride in the third-place showdown in the men’s C2 3,000m individual pursuit.
03:13 PM BST
Historic triumph for Robertson
03:12 PM BST
Robertson ‘in shock’ after bronze
Matthew Robertson has said he is “in shock” after winning bronze in the men’s C2 3,000m individual pursuit.
Speaking to Channel 4, he said: “I didn’t know I was going to get here a couple of years ago. I was over the moon with the call up and to get here and be able to do that – I’m just in shock right now.
“I looked across with six or four to go and I saw I was in front so I thought ‘head down, go’. I know I shouldn’t have done but inside of me I was thinking ‘I’ve got this’.
“To be a medallist in this team is incredible and it proves that the programme works and the support behind us works.
“I’ve come up from foundation and it’s just great to achieve that. I’ve been with my coach for seven years now and it’s so nice to deliver the performance that I know I’m capable of for him.”
03:05 PM BST
‘ I gave it everything’: Cundy after narrow medal miss
Jody Cundy came fourth in the men’s 1,000m time trial and after narrowly missing out on a tenth Paralympic medal, he spoke to Channel 4.
He said: “[It’s] just not to be. I gave it everything. I’m not a million miles off my best here and I tried to back it up this afternoon. I did pretty much the same time as this morning but everything I had in my legs is gone.
“It would have been nice to be on the medal board, but we’ve got the team sprint in a couple of days so get all the focus back on that and we can come back because we’ve got Kadeena [Cox] with a point to prove.
“A little bit disappointed but everything I do, I try to perform at my best. A whole bunch of people have contributed to my whole career. I feel like I can give it everything and hopefully it can be enough but unfortunately it wasn’t.”
03:02 PM BST
Robertson wins 100th ParalympicsGB cycling medal
Here we go… nice little stat before two finals involving Brits. Matthew Robertson bronze medal winner in the men’s C2 3,000m individual pursuit after beating Shota Kawamoto of Japan is the 100th Paralympic medallist in cycling since Para records began.
02:58 PM BST
Hunt emotional after silver
GB’s Blaine Hunt was visibly emotional talking to Channel 4 after winning silver in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m time trials final.
He said: “[The medal is] heavy. My legs are heavy. It was a lot of hard work, seven years. All my family are over there and my daughter.
“I feel I can finally take a break and be a dad for a bit because I put so much trying to get this. It just means so much.”
“My wife sleeps with three bikes in the bedroom. At least one in the front room. There’s about five in the shed.
As he appeared to hold off the tears, he added: “I miss out on family things. My nan died before I came here. They’re postponing the funeral so I can be there. It’s things like that you miss out on.
“I’m just glad that’ve I’ve come out on the lucky side and I am able to go home with something.”
02:50 PM BST
Robertson wins bronze
Matthew Robertson has won bronze in the men’s C2 3000m individual pursuit after beating Shota Kawamoto of Japan in the showdown for third spot.
The Brit led from start to finish and won with a margin of almost three seconds as he crossed the line with a time of 3:30.497.
The 25-year-old was competing in his first Games after he represented Great Britain in both Para road cycling and Para track cycling at the 2023 World Championships.
02:49 PM BST
Robertson in strong position for bronze
The Brit stops the reducing trend of his lead and extends his margin to two seconds again after 2000m. Just four laps to go.
02:47 PM BST
Robertson leads early on
Robertson establishes a lead of just over two seconds after the opening lap. This has been cut down by the Japanese after the next few laps and it’s a gap of just under a second after the first 1000m
02:45 PM BST
Robertson going for bronze
Matthew Robertson is ready to get underway in the bronze final of the men’s C2 3,000m individual pursuit after finishing third in qualifying with a time of 3:28.373.
He is up against Shota Kawamoto of Japan. It’s 12 laps for the riders.
02:41 PM BST
Hunt receives silver
GB’s Blaine Hunt is receiving his silver medal after securing second place in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m time trials final.
A proud moment for the Brit as he picks up ParalympicsGB’s fourth silver of the games and their seventh medal in total. All four silvers have come from the velodrome.
02:38 PM BST
‘I’m truly sorry’: Munro devastated after quarter-final loss
GB medal hopeful Beth Munro said she “let my family and friends down” after losing her K44 -65kg taekwondo quarter-final earlier today.
Munro can no longer win gold after the defeat to China’s Yao Yanin but she has a chance to take home bronze if she comes through her repechage against Denmark’s Lisa Gjessing at 16:31 BST.
Following defeat, she said: “I had a clear plan and I just didn’t execute it – I just left it too late to try and win the points back.
“I feel really emotional at the moment, I’m probably going to go away and cry for a bit, let it sink in. I’m truly sorry.
“I just feel that I’ve let my family and friends down who have come all this way to support me, and my coach.
“It just didn’t go the way I wanted it to but unfortunately that is sport. I’ll take the loss, I’ll hold the grief for a while, and I’ll move on and see what happens next.”
02:32 PM BST
More medals up for grabs in the cycling
Following that incredible silver-medal performance from GB’s Blaine Hunt, there are still more hopefuls on the way in the velodrome this afternoon.
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Jaco van Gass will be taking on his British team-mate Fin Graham in the men’s C3 3000m individual pursuit at 15:26 BST.
Graham set a new world record in the qualifier earlier today only for it to be broken moments later by Van Gass.
This will be shortly followed by 2023 world champion Sophie Unwin taking on 2024 world champion Lizzi Jordan in the women’s B time trial at 15:34.
02:26 PM BST
Good effort from Cundy
ParalympicsGB have won their first medal of the day here at the Velodrome with para cyclists Jody Cundy, Blaine Hunt, and Archie Atkinson all having just competed in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m final.
GB’s Hunt took the silver, Korey Boddington of Australia the gold. Stalwart Cundy was fourth.
Full admission – I’ve known Jody since 2000 in Sydney when he was a teenage swimmer, along with Sarah Storey. I had a moment of personal delight seeing the 45-year-old in the medal placings until the final racer pushed him into fourth.
Even though he did not claim a medal, he already has 8 golds in the trophy cabinet – 5 in cycling and 3 in swimming.
Looks like he got cramp afterwards during an interview. Age waits for no one…
02:20 PM BST
Hunt wins GB’s first medal of the day
Australia’s Korey Boddington, the quickest rider in this morning’s qualifier, has continued his speedy form and raced into first place in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m time trials final with a time of 1:01.650.
He pushed GB’s Blaine Hunt into second place after bettering his time by around 0.1 seconds.
GB’s Jody Cundy finished in fourth place and Archie Atkinson placed fifth on the table.
02:12 PM BST
Stunning finale propels Hunt into first
Blaine Hunt, nicknamed “the flying moustache”, has sped into first place in the men’s 1,000m time trial final after completing four laps of the Paris Velodrome in 1:01.776.
After a slow start, he picked up speed throughout and pulled of a stunning final lap which propelled him into first place on the leaderboard.
He overturned a deficit of just over a second at one point, bettering Spain’s Alfonso Cabello’s time by just under 0.2 seconds.
With one racer left to compete, Hunt is currently in first place, with Jody Cundy in third position and Archie Atkinson fourth on the leaderboard.
02:07 PM BST
Cundy pushed into second place
Spain’s Alfonso Cabello, current world and Paralympic record holder in the C5 category, has raced into first place in the C4 to C5 men’s 1,000m time trial final.
With a time of 1:01.969, he is the first rider to better his qualifying time.
His result pushes GB’s Jody Cundy into second place on the leaderboard, and Archie Atkinson into third.
The third and final British competitor, Blaine Hunt, is up next…
02:04 PM BST
Powerful performance from Cundy
GB’s Jody Cundy has propelled himself into first place after beating team mate Archie Atkinson’s time by just over a second.
The eight-time Paralympic champion completed four laps of the Paris Velodrome in a time of 1:02.504.
Atkinson has fallen into second place and there are three riders still to come.
01:59 PM BST
Atkinson flies into first
ParalympicsGB’s Archie Atkinson has set an incredibly impressive speed to beat in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m time trial final.
He completed four laps of the Velodrome in 1:03.538, beating Slovakia’s Josef Metelka by almost four-and-a-half seconds.
A great effort from the young Brit in his Paralympics debut.
01:57 PM BST
GB’s Archie Atkinson up next
Paralympic debutant, Archie Atkinson, is up next in the men’s para cycling 1,000m time trial final.
There’s a huge amount of support in the Paris Velodrome for the 20-year-old Brit.
01:56 PM BST
Slovakia’s Jozef Metelka sets time to beat
Jozef Metelka, a Tokyo 2020 champion in the individual pursuit, races first in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m final at Paris 2024.
He sped around the Velodrome track and completed four laps in a time of 1:07.938. That is the benchmark for the next rider to beat.
01:48 PM BST
Medals up for grabs in para cycling
ParalympicsGB could be about to win their first medals of the day as para cyclists Jody Cundy, Blaine Hunt, and Archie Atkinson compete in the men’s C4 to C5 1,000m final.
The six quickest para cyclists from this morning’s qualifiers are about to go head-to-head as they race against the clock at the Paris Velodrome.
Will Jody Cundy add a ninth Paralympic gold medal to his collection? We will soon see…
01:29 PM BST
Brits on top in the Paris Velodrome
It has been a morning of strong performances from ParalympicsGB’s cyclists in the Velodrome.
The latest Brits to qualify for a final this afternoon are Lizzy Jordan, Sophie Unwin, and Lora Fachie who all raced into top spots in the women’s B 1,000m time trial.
Jordan qualified in first with a speedy time of 1:06.870, Unwin finished third and Fachie in fourth with a time of 1:09.018.
The three GB team mates will compete for a spot on the podium this afternoon at around 3:30pm BST.
01:23 PM BST
GB defeat in the Grand Palais des Beaux-Arts
I’ve been keeping tabs across the para taekwondo, hosted in the Grand Palais des Beaux-Arts. It is the most beautiful venue which was built in 1897 for the Universal Exposition in 1900. It is an exquisitely beautiful setting for combat.
Unfortunately, GB’s Beth Munro, silver medalist in Tokyo, fell to defeat in the quarter final.
Munro will now fight in the repechage for a place in the bronze medal contest. That will be at 5:30pm Parisian time.
In Tokyo, Munro stormed to a sensational silver in just her second international competition. She became ParalympicsGB’s very first medalist in para taekwondo in Japan. Munro, who has a master’s degree in psychology, only took up the sport in 2019. Previously, she was a javelin and netball player.
01:17 PM BST
Coming up: three Brits race for gold
ParalympicsGB riders Archie Atkinson, Jody Cundy, and Blaine Hunt all qualified in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trials this morning – meaning they will all compete in the final this afternoon.
It is coming up at around 1:45pm BST.
Could Jody Cundy add a ninth Paralympics gold medal to his collection?
01:12 PM BST
GB sprinter unaware he made it to final until post-race interviews
Zac Shaw, a visually-impaired GB sprinter, was unaware he had qualified for the 100m final until he turned up for his post-race interviews.
The Commonwealth silver medalist, who is making his Paralympic debut in France, edged a tight photo finish to snatch progression to the medal race by just 0.01 of a second.
Yet, unable to read the scoreboard, Shaw departed the Stade de France track thinking he had been beaten by Brazilian runner Kesley Teodoro.
Following his T12 heat, he said: “I guess one of the things about being visually impaired is that you can’t see the screen so I got told I had come second.
“It wasn’t until I got to the mixed zone and someone said ‘congratulations you’ve made the final’ that I realised.
“I asked them to read the scoreboard three or four times to make sure but I’m really happy that I managed to make the final.”
12:59 PM BST
Record-breaking Brits to race head-to-head for gold
The Brits are dominating on the Velodrome track as GB’s Fin Graham set a new world record in the men’s C3 3,000m individual pursuit qualifier… only for it to be broken moments later by team mate Jaco van Gass.
Graham raced around the track in an impressive time of 3:17.305, breaking the world record which had been previously held by van Gass.
But van Gass was clearly not content having his achievement taken from him as he took to the track next and quickly reclaimed his record. The 37-year-old raced around the track at breath-taking speed and finished with a time of 3:15.488.
The two will go head-to-head in the race for gold this afternoon. Tune in at 3:25pm – you will not want to miss it.
12:43 PM BST
Third most successful British Paralympian suspended
Sir Lee Pearson, GB’s third most successful Paralympian, has been suspended by British Equestrian, amid an investigation into his conduct following his non-selection for Paris 2024.
The 50-year-old won 14 golds between 2000 and 2021, a total bettered only by cyclist Dame Sarah Storey and swimmer Mike Kenny.
ParalympicsGB last month named an all-female dressage team of Natasha Baker, Mari Durward-Akhurst, Sophie Wells and Georgia Wilson for this year’s Games.
Pearson declined to comment on his suspension but, on social media, he expressed ambitions of returning at Los Angeles in 2028.
“British Equestrian and British Dressage are aware of concerns and allegations that have arisen around an individual within the dressage community,” British Equestrian said.
“In accordance with our own procedures, the matter is under active investigation and the individual is suspended from both organisations while that investigation takes place.
“No further comment will be made at this time.”
Equestrian events are scheduled to begin on Tuesday at Chateau de Versailles.
12:31 PM BST
GB’s Robertson pushed into third
An exceptional performance from France’s Alexandre Leaute saw him break his own world record with a time of 3:24.298 in the men’s para cycling C2 3,000m individual pursuit qualifier.
The Frenchman was cheered on by the home crowd as he completed 12 speedy laps around the Velodrome.
He will compete against Belgium’s Ewoud Vromant, who finished second in the qualifiers, for gold this afternoon.
GB’s Matt Robertson finished third in the qualifiers – meaning he will race against Japan’s Shota Kawamoto in the bronze medal match later on.
12:26 PM BST
Cool-headed from GB’s Pine
In the women’s compound elimination archery match, GB’s Phoebe Pine held her nerve and won with the final arrow – beating her competitor, Ecuador’s Diana Guaman, 142-141.
She will face Australia’s Melissa Tanner in a second elimination round tomorrow at 3:30pm BST.
12:17 PM BST
Robertson sets new Paralympic record in Games debut
GB’s Matt Robertson, in his Paralympic debut, has set a new Paralympic record and the time to beat in the men’s para cycling C2 3,000m individual pursuit qualifier.
In 12 rounds of the Velodrome, he lapped his competitor, Portugal’s Telmo Pinao, twice and finished with a time of 3:28.281.
There are four riders left to compete in the qualifying round and the fastest two will race for gold later on today.
12:11 PM BST
Great Britain keep foot on the gas
Great Britain’s wheelchair rugby team showed why they are heavy favourites to defend the Paralympic title they won in Tokyo three years ago after making it two wins from two with a 55-53 win over Denmark.
Building on their statement opening-day 58-55 win over two-time Paralympic champions Australia, Britain took a one-try advantage into the final quarter against a Danish side who repeatedly caught out their rivals with a long, looping ball down the middle of the court.
Paul Shaw’s side became increasingly streetwise of that tactic as the match wore on and there were somewhat powerplay antics involved when Stuart Robinson – who finished as Britain’s top scorer with 26 – called his side’s final ‘timeout’ with a whole quarter remaining. Each team is granted four 30-second breaks throughout the match.
But in a match where they never found themselves trailing, Britain kept their foot on the gas in a high-octane final period to eke out a decisive three-point lead, with Jamie Stead crossing the goal line for one final score.
Great Britain face hosts France in their final group game on Friday night.
12:06 PM BST
‘The energy was amazing’
Nick Cummins, ParalympicsGB wheelchair rugby captain, has praised the energy of the crowd during their game against Denmark at the Champ de Mars Arena.
He said in a post-match interview to Channel 4: “This is what we have wanted for a long time – we’ve got great players, a great bench ethic, everyone’s in for the team and everyone’s got their team mates back. It’s really exciting – we’ve had a great start and we want to keep that going.
“The crowd here is amazing, its almost like playing back home – the energy was amazing.”
12:03 PM BST
Jody Cundy – ParalympicsGB legend
I’ve known cyclist Jody Cundy for a very, very long time – since Sydney 2000, when he was a teenage swimmer.
Now, he’s a celebrated cyclist. He’s through to the finals here at the Velodrome where he could claim a 13th Games medal. A Paralympic legend and very very popular GB team member, he’s also a mentor for so many young athletes – now being in his mid 40s.
No one could forget his outburst at London 2012 when he made a public apology to fans in the velodrome after exploding with rage and screaming four-letter insults at officials following his disqualification from the individual C4-C5 1km time trial.
A “red mist” descended after his hopes of another gold medal ended before they had begun. Cundy made obscene gestures at race referees, hurled water bottles to the ground and barged away fellow competitors who tried to commiserate when he was told a false start in his favourite event was his own fault.
An hour later, after he eventually calmed down, he re-entered the arena and spoke to the 6,000-strong crowd through a microphone. He said: “I would like to apologise for my language, I think that even after all that noise you might have been able to hear my language.
“Congratulations to all my fellow competitors.”
What a legend. I’ll be here to report on the good, the bad, and hopefully no more ugly later in the finals…
11:56 AM BST
Victory for GB after nail-biting match
The GB men’s wheelchair rugby team have won their second preliminary match after a close battle which saw them score 55 tries to Denmark’s 53.
The defending Paralympic champions are top of Group B after they also defeated Australia, current world champions, yesterday 58-55.
The will face France tomorrow in their final group match at 6:30pm BST – if today’s Champ-de-Mars Arena atmosphere is anything to go by, it is sure to be a lively one.
11:38 AM BST
Down to the wire
Heading into the final quarter, GB’s wheelchair rugby team are currently leading Denmark 41 tries to 40.
The atmosphere is tense and the Champ-de-Mars Arena crowd are enjoying every moment.
24 minutes down, eight more minutes to play – it is still all to play for.
11:27 AM BST
Tensions high in the Champ-de-Mars Arena
Paul Shaw, head coach of Great Britain wheelchair rugby team, was barking at his players as they formed a huddle at half time, when GB had a slender 28-27 lead.
It briefly seemed to have worked as GB eked out a three-point advantage but the Danes have clawed their way back into it. Stuart Robinson has just called his side’s last “time out”, when players can pause for a 30-second break (each team has four throughout the match).
You wonder whether that was the right call given there’s a whole final quarter to play. Down on court, the crashes and bashes seem to be getting more extreme and the crowd are loving it. This is anyone’s game.
11:17 AM BST
GB cyclists on fire in the Velodrome
Blaine Hunt, GB’s next para cyclist in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trial qualifiers, is the third Brit to qualify with an impressive time of 1:02.005.
ParalympicsGB’s three riders, Archie Atkinson, Judy Cundy, and Blaine Hunt, will all compete in the final this afternoon.
Australia’s Korey Boddington was last to race in the qualifiers and broke Jody Cundy’s Paralympic record, with a speedy time of 1:02.021.
11:08 AM BST
Cundy speeds into para cycling final
Jody Cundy, current world record holder in the C4 time trial category, has sped into first place in the men’s C4-5 1,000m qualifier.
The eight-time Paralympic gold medalist completed four laps of the Velodrome track in a time of 1:02.384, placing him first in the table.
He, along with GB team mate Archie Atkinson, are both guaranteed a place in the final this afternoon.
11:05 AM BST
GB’s Atkinson sets time to beat in men’s para cycling
In his Paralympic debut, GB’s Archie Atkinson has just set the time to beat in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trial qualifier.
He sped around the Paris Velodrome track in a time of 1:03.508, placing him on top of the leaderboard.
There are still six more cyclists to compete however, and the top six overall will race in the final this afternoon.
GB’s para cycling legend Jody Cundy is up next…
10:59 AM BST
‘Murderball’ living up to brutal expectations
Not much separates Great Britain and Denmark in their second wheelchair rugby group game, with GB leading 16-15. Had heard this sport was a bit brutal and as a first-time spectator it’s living up to my expectations. There’s a lot of bashing about going on and fierce man-marking in dodgem-like fashion but nobody has fallen out of their chairs yet.
Stuart Robinson has been an attacking lynchpin for GB, having scored half of his team’s tries so far. But I want to shout out the only woman on the court – Sofie Skoubo of Denmark – who must think nothing of this bashing-around business. She hasn’t seen much of the ball but from my limited knowledge of watching this sport it looks like she’s being deployed as a serial man marker.
I’ve been impressed with the crowds at the Paralympics so far – the first swimming session last night at La Defense Arena was practically full – and there’s a buoyant atmosphere inside the Champs de Mars arena this morning.
10:49 AM BST
Jurgen Klopp crashes the Paralympics
Wojtek Czyz was beaten in the opening round of the SL3 badminton but his long-time friend Jurgen Klopp was on hand to offer support.
As a man three months into an indefinite sabbatical, Klopp is seldom in the mood to indulge interview requests. But on a fleeting visit to the Paralympics, there is one subject for which he is happy to make an exception. For here at Paris’ La Chapelle Arena, just north of Montmartre, he finds himself reunited with Czyz, the man whose inexhaustible spirit has sustained him for over two decades.
“It is,” Klopp says, “the most inspiring story I’ve heard in my life. It has to be told.”
Oliver Brown has the full story here.
10:38 AM BST
Wheelchair rugby underway
After yesterday’s hard-fought win against Australia, GB’s mixed wheelchair rugby team are back in action against Denmark.
It’s looking to be another close matchup. 8-8 as it stands.
10:28 AM BST
Twin swimmers Eliza and Scarlett Humphrey both qualify
Eliza and Scarlett Humphrey, the blind identical twins swimming for Team GB, have both made it through their heats in the S11 women’s 400m freestyle.
Scarlett’s 5:28.25 and Eliza’s 5:41.72 swims were just enough to get them into tonight’s final in 6th and 8th spot respectively. They’ll both have a lot of ground to make up if they want to get close to world-record holder
Anastasia Pagonis of the USA, who is way out in front with a qualifying run of 5:04.60.
10:10 AM BST
Summers-Newton cruises into final
Maisie Summers-Newton has booked her place in the women’s SM6 200m individual medley final with a quick and confident swim in her heat.
Her 2:58.40 run should be good enough to qualify in top spot. She defends her title at 5pm.
09:54 AM BST
Shaw edges into T12 100m final on Paralympic debut
British sprinter Zac Shaw has just made his Paralympic debut at the Stade de France in the mens 100m T12 — a visually impaired classification, where sighted guide runners are optional, although Shaw does not opt for one.
He is forced to wait for his moment after a false start. Argentinian Fernando Vasquez is disqualified after being deemed to have gone too early. Three hundredths of a second too early to be exact.
And the restarted race goes very close. Shaw clinches the heat by one hundredth of a second after Brazil’s Teodoro originally thought he had edged it. He’s into the final.
Lots of people at Cleethorpes Athletic Club, where Shaw trains, will have tuned in to watch his first Paralympic foray, which is a successful one.
09:38 AM BST
One to watch: Maisie Summers-Newton
In perhaps the most hotly anticipated appearance of a GB athlete on day two, Maisie Summers-Newton will seek to maintain her dominance in the SM6 200m individual medley final this evening.
Since her international debut in 2018, Summers-Newton, 22, has won titles at all levels including the Paralympics, World, European, and Commonwealth events.
She took over the mantle of Ellie Simmonds at Tokyo 2020 and became a double Paralympics champion, winning in the SB6 100m breaststroke and SM6 200m individual medley finals.
Having lowered her own world record in May, she’s a strong favourite to retain her title when the final gets going at 5.01pm.
09:26 AM BST
Kadeena Cox: ‘I’ll be back’
Team GB’s Kadeena Cox has taken to X to put into words her heartbreak after crashing out at the first corner of the women’s C4-5 500m time-trial final yesterday.
She wrote: “Down but not out!! I didn’t get Phoenix’s drawn on my race shoes for no reason!! But sorry to everyone I let down yesterday I’ll be back.”
Down but not out!! I didn’t get Phoenix’s drawn on my race shoes for no reason!! But sorry to everyone I let down yesterday 😢I’ll be back pic.twitter.com/kUBa8aqVza
— Kadeena Cox OBE (@kad_c) August 30, 2024
09:00 AM BST
Gold-medallist Kearney through to another final
Having already banked a gold medal yesterday in the S5 200m freestyle, Team GB’s Tully Kearney has just won her heat in the 100m version with a time of 1:17.75 — making her the fastest qualifier.
Kearney is the world and Paralympic record-holder in the event and will be the favourite to add another gold medal to her haul in the final this evening, which is due to go at 4.30pm.
08:49 AM BST
Eliza and Scarlett Humphrey: The blind identical twins swimming for GB
The 19-year-old blind identical twins have spent their entire lives taking steps forward together and their unique sisterly bond will grow even stronger this week when they make their Paralympic debut for Great Britain in the pool later today.
Competing in the S11 category for blind or nearly blind swimmers, they and their competitors will wear blacked-out goggles to ensure fairness. The pair made history in Madeira in June 2022 when they became the first twins to compete for Great Britain at the World Para Swimming Championships.
The pair never intended to become competitive swimmers when they enrolled on a learn-to-swim programme at their local leisure centre, aged 12 — but they are now on the cusp of a huge milestone.
Before their first race at just after 9:30am, you can read the twins’ full interview with Fiona Tomas here.
08:31 AM BST
Cox distraught after crashing out of first gold-medal final
There was heartbreak as well as joy for Team GB Paralympic athletes on day one of the Games.
Cyclist Kadeena Cox was inconsolable and cited “a rubbish year” after a disastrous start to her Paralympic campaign yesterday, with the multi-Games medallist losing balance and collapsing sideways on the first corner of the women’s C4-5 500m time-trial final.
This was the title the 33-year-old was defending from both the Tokyo and Rio Games and the very first medal event of the entire Paris Games. But after her fall, the judges would not allow her a restart in the event, with no mechanical issue noted. The British cyclist, who has MS, was distraught.
You can read the full report from Gareth A Davies here.
08:23 AM BST
Pregnant GB archer hits personal best days after hospital admission
At seven months pregnant, GB para archer Jodie Grinham hit a personal best yesterday, just days after being hospitalised amid fears she had lost her baby.
She is thought to be further into pregnancy than any woman has been at a Games and is on a mission to send an empowering message that expecting mothers and elite sport are compatible.
Her career best score of 693 in the Paralympics women’s individual compound open ranking round came five days after she was admitted to a local maternity ward in Paris because she feared for the health of her unborn child.
Fiona Tomas has the full story here.
08:17 AM BST
A look at the medal table
Here’s how the overall medal table looked at the end of day one. GB sit behind China with six medals in total; two gold, three silver and one bronze.
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08:08 AM BST
What to watch on day two
Here are some events to keep an eye out for on day two:
You can find our full rundown here.
Boccia
9:30am: Men’s Individual – BC4
GB vs Ukraine
Para swimming
9:36am-9:54am: women’s 400m freestyle, S11 heats
Blind twins Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey will make their Paralympics debuts in Paris.
Wheelchair rugby
10:30am: Mixed – Preliminary Round Group B
GB vs Denmark
Para Taekwondo
11:46am: Women K44 – 65kg Quarter final
Beth Munro became ParalympicsGB’s very first medallist in Para taekwondo at the Tokyo Games, where she won a sensational silver in just her second international competition. The 28-year-old will be looking to add another remarkable chapter to her story, having only taken up the sport in 2019.
Para cycling track
1:57pm-2:22pm: men’s 1,000m time trial, C4-5 final
ParalympicsGB veteran Jody Cundy is Paris for his eighth Games and will compete in the C4-5 1,000m time trial, alongside British newcomers Blaine Hunt and Archie Atkinson.
Para athletics
6:30pm-6:37pm: men’s 100m, T47 final
08:00 AM BST
Good Morning
Welcome to today’s live coverage of day two of the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.
After a dazzling opening ceremony on Wednesday, there were two opening day gold medals for Team GB as Swimmers Tully Kearney and Poppy Maskill became the first British champions at the Games.
A resilient Kearney said she was “absolutely ecstatic” to put a torrid past couple of years behind her, including a freak concussion, after taking gold in the women’s 200m freestyle S5 final.
Earlier in the day, Maskill had etched her name into the history books by claiming Britain’s first gold at the Games in the women’s 100m butterfly S14 final, setting a new record time of one minute and three seconds.
We’re heading straight back to the pool this morning for another packed swimming schedule at La Defense Arena, which will see Paralympic debuts for blind twins Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey.
The Humphreys are competing in the S11 400m freestyle heats, which get going at around 9.30am.The pair made history in Madeira in June 2022 when they became the first twins to compete for Great Britain at the World Para Swimming Championships.
Elsewhere, the first athletics medals of the Games will be up for grabs at the Stade de France and GB will take on Denmark in their next mixed wheelchair rugby fixture after narrowly triumphing over world champions Australia yesterday — that’s at 10.30am.
