Whether you are an inclusive sports fan or taking the first step into disability sport, here鈥檚 ten British Paralympic athletes to look and listen out for on your screens and airwaves.
Hollie Arnold clinched her sixth straight javelin World title earlier this year in the F46 class. Hollie was always destined for the top after making her Paralympic debut in 2008 when she was just 14 years-old. The Welsh thrower is looking to add to her gold and bronze Paralympic medals.
鈥淎 happy Hollie is a dangerous Hollie鈥, listen to the Welsh thrower鈥檚 鈥楶aris: Grassroots to Glory鈥 episode on 大象传媒 Sounds.
Matt Bush first made his name on GB books as a javelin and shot put athlete, and was set to head to Rio De Janeiro in 2016 but a shoulder injury forced him to miss the games. With a keen interest in mixed martial arts, he switched to taekwondo when it was added to the 2020 Tokyo roster. Within a month, the heavy-weight athlete was already fighting the world number one 鈥 winning the fight. Matt backed up his impressive start to the sport and made history in 2019 when he became the first GB Taekwondo male to win a Para or non-disabled World gold medal.
At just 17-years-old Ellie Challis became Great Britain鈥檚 youngest medallist at Tokyo 2020, when she claimed silver in the Women's S3 50m backstroke. A year later at the World Championships in Madeira, Ellie claimed her first world title in the SB2 50m breastroke, and a hat-trick of silver medals in the S3 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke.
The 20-year-old will be in full confidence going into Paris, as she claimed another five medals in the Manchester World Championships last year, as she retained her SB2 50m breaststroke title.
Listen to Ellie鈥檚 鈥楶aris: Grassroots to Glory鈥 episode on 大象传媒 Sounds, as she and her GB teammates head to Paris seeking a Paralympic Swimming medal.
Badminton made its Paralympic debut in Tokyo, but Rachel Choong would have to wait another three years for her classification to be selected for competition. The Liverpool-born athlete will be looking to add her first Paralympic medal to her ever-growing tally (12 World Championship medals and 10 European titles). The 30-year-old will be competing in both the women鈥檚 singles and in the mixed doubles, alongside Jack Shephard as they will look to add gold to their 2022 World Championship title.
Listen to Rachel鈥檚 鈥楶aris: Grassroots to Glory鈥 episode on 大象传媒 Sounds, as the Para world champion gets ready to have her "ultimate dream come true" to compete at the Paralympics.
A household name in the Para sport world, the Yorkshire-born wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft is no stranger to being the top of the podium. With seven Paralympic medals and 16 World titles 鈥楬urricane Hannah鈥 will be odds on favourite in many peoples鈥 eyes to bring home the gold as she competes in the T34 classification in the Paralympic games.
Funmi Oduwaiye may have only started her Para sport career two years ago but the Cardiff-born athlete was a promising basketball player. However, numerous surgery complications for a condition called 鈥榢nock knees鈥 left her with serious injuries and unable to move forward with basketball. Not one to give up, Funmi was soon scouted for shot put and discus and in just 12 months has already placed fourth in the shot put and sixth in discus at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.
Making the headlines, not just for his boccia prowess but for his bright 鈥楿nion Jack鈥 dyed hair, David Smith has been winning medals for Great Britain since the Beijing games back in 2008. Claiming gold in his first Paralympic Games in the team event, he went on to win silver in the individual event in London 2012, before going one better in Rio De Janeiro. David made the history books when he became Britain鈥檚 most successful boccia player as he retained his individual title. A real ambassador for the sport who will hope to add another medal or two to his collection.
Born in Northern Ireland, Claire Taggart became the first boccia player from her country to represent Great Britain at a Paralympics in 2016 when she was just 21 years-old. Claire will be hoping to add to her 2022 World Championship title, as she looks to claim her first Paralympic medal in the French capital.
Born in just 2011, Iona is the youngest swimmer in the ParalympicsGB squad. The 13-year-old has already made her mark in the swimming world, as the teenager won two European titles this year in Madeira in the SB7 100m Breaststroke and SM7 200m Individual Medley, in addition to a bronze medal in the S7 50m Butterfly.
Listen to Iona鈥檚 鈥楶aris: Grassroots to Glory鈥 episode on 大象传媒 Sounds, as the teenager reflects on an 鈥渋ncredible experience鈥 at her first major international event.
Inspired to take up running from one of the sport鈥檚 legends, Usain Bolt, the Brit burst on to the track back in 2018 with a double European gold in the T38 100m and 200m events. Thomas Young went on to claim a World silver 12 months later, cruelly missing out on the gold by 0.01s. Not to be disheartened, the 23-year-old went on to have an incredible 2021 season, winning gold medals in both the World Championships and Paralympics, with Usain Bolt reaching out to congratulate the Croydon-born sprinter with the message: 鈥楢nything is possible. Don鈥檛 think limit.鈥
Join the super movement and explore all the fun, free inclusive Paralympic sport activity resources available on the Super Movers for Every Body website. You can watch the 2024 Paralympic Games between 28th August and 8th September on Channel 4.
