ParalympicsGB | Paralympicsgb surpass tokyo achievements at ...

Penny Briscoe OBE, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission at Paris 2024, said: “ParalympicsGB have achieved so many milestones at these Games, I could not be more proud of every single team member for their fantastic performances across 11 thrilling days of competition here in Paris.

“To finish these Games with 49 gold medals and 124 overall – surpassing what we achieved in Tokyo - is testament to our incredible athletes, coaches and support staff and the years and months of dedicated hard work they all put in. Every Paralympic Games we see competition from around the world getting tougher and tougher, so to return home with so many fantastic performances from across the entire team really is so special.”

The gold medal rush began in the pool with Games’ debutant Poppy Maskill in the 100m butterfly S14 and continued throughout the eleven days of competition – day four a notable highlight as ParalympicsGB won 12 gold medals - the greatest number in a single day this century. Day nine saw the team claim their 42nd gold medal – surpassing the number won in Tokyo with two more days of competition still to go.

Maskill’s medal haul of three gold and two silver medals made her the most successful athlete in the team, but there was plenty of promise from other young stars too, as ParalympicsGB’s youngest athlete, 13-year-old Iona Winnifrith, won her first Paralympic medal, a silver in the 100m breaststroke SB7. Another name for the future is undoubtedly 14-year-old Bly Twomey who claimed two Para table tennis bronze medals in the women’s singles WS7 as well as doubles WS14 with Fliss Pickard.

Dame Sarah Storey already had 18 Paralympic medals to her name by the time Winnifrith was born – she became ParalympicsGB’s most decorated Paralympian ever at Tokyo 2020 with 17 gold medals and 28 medals overall. The 46-year-old added to that incredible tally in Paris at her ninth Games, with two further Para cycling gold medals around the roads of the French capital.

Every member of ParalympicsGB’s 10-strong rowing squad won medals in Paris, including 26-year-old Lauren Rowles, who made history by becoming the first Para rower to claim consecutive gold medals at three Games.