Going for gold – 10 of Britain’s big medal hopes at the Paris Paralympics

ParalympicsGB finished second in the medal table at Tokyo 2020.

British Paralympic medal hopefuls Will Bayley, Hannah Cockroft, David Smith and Sarah Storey, left to right

ParalympicsGB travel to the Paris Games seeking to emulate the fine form which saw the team finish second in the medal table at Tokyo 2020.

Here, the PA news agency picks out 10 of Britain’s best hopes for gold.

Dame Sarah Storey (Cycling)

Great Britain’s Sarah Storey celebrates winning the first of her three gold medals at Tokyo 2020 — Great Britain’s Sarah Storey has won 17 Paralympic gold medals (Tim Goode/PA)

>Britain’s most successful Paralympian has ambitions of adding to her 17 career gold medals.

Storey will defend her C5 time trial and C4-5 road race crowns at the ninth Games of a glittering career.

The 46-year-old former swimmer holds a 100 per cent Paralympic record on the bike, spanning 12 races.

Hannah Cockroft (Wheelchair racing)

Great Britain’s Hannah Cockroft celebrates after winning the women’s 800m T34 final at Tokyo 2020 — Hannah Cockroft launched her unbeaten Paralympic career at London 2012 (John Walton/PA)

>Seven-time champion Cockroft is unbeaten at the Paralympics.

She will look to maintain that record by retaining her T34 100m and 800m titles.

The 32-year-old is a 16-time world champion and just four Paralympic golds short of the 11 won by fellow wheelchair racer Tanni Grey-Thompson.

Dan Pembroke (Javelin)

The visually-impaired athlete was last year just 51 centimetres short of the global best mark of 71.01m.

Pembroke believes the return of spectators following his behind-closed-doors triumph in Tokyo will help him “unleash a big, big throw”.

Dave Ellis (Triathlon)

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games – Day Four — Great Britain’s Dave Ellis, left, and guide Luke Pollard (John Walton/PA)

> Ellis suffered frustration in Tokyo when his bike chain snapped, forcing him to pull out.

Alongside guide Luke Pollard, the visually-impaired 38-year-old bounced back from that setback by claiming the world and Commonwealth titles in 2022.

He retained world champion status last year and could complete the gap in his medal collection.

Maisie Summers-Newton (Swimming)

Swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton attends the unveiling of Eurostar’s first golden train at St Pancras International station — Swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton heads to Paris as double Paralympic champion (David Parry Media Assignments/PA)

> Double Paralympic champion Summers-Newton was among the breakthrough stars of Tokyo.

The 22-year-old outshone Ellie Simmonds to win the 200m medley and 100m breaststroke titles and looks well positioned to replicate that feat in France.

She clinched Commonwealth gold in the 200m medley in 2022 and is reigning world champion in both events.

Will Bayley (Table tennis)

Great Britain’s Will Bayley celebrates gold in Rio — Will Bayley won gold in Rio (Adam Davy/PA)

>Bayley won individual class seven gold at Rio 2016 but had to settle for silver in Tokyo after working his way back from a serious knee injury suffered on Strictly Come Dancing.

The 36-year-old wants to reclaim the title to realise his dream of being Paralympic, world and European champion simultaneously.

David Smith (Boccia)

Great Britain’s David Smith competes at Tokyo 2020 — Great Britain’s David Smith is seeking a third successive Paralympic title (Tim Goode/PA)

>Britain’s most successful boccia player of all time has won five medals across four Paralympics, including three golds.

Smith – GB’s flag bearer for the Tokyo closing ceremony – is world number one and bidding to top the podium in the individual BC1 event for the third Games in a row.

Lizzi Jordan (Cycling)

Two of the those events – the 1km time trial and the 3km pursuit – feature on the schedule for Paris.

Alfie Hewett (Wheelchair tennis)

Alfie Hewett celebrates success at Wimbledon — Alfie Hewett is reigning Wimbledon champion (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

> Paralympic glory has so far proved elusive for the 30-time grand slam winner.

Hewett is a back-to-back doubles silver medallist alongside Gordon Reid and also lost the Rio 2016 singles final to his long-term doubles partner.

The reigning Wimbledon singles champion is no stranger to clay-court success at Roland Garros.

Jack Eyers (Paracanoe)

The chiselled 35-year-old was the first amputee to be crowned Mr England.

He goes into his maiden Paralympics as two-time world and reigning European champion in the VL3 event and with ambitions of further enhancing his remarkable journey from catwalk to canoe.