Wheelchair rugby captain Gavin Walker confident GB are ‘peaking at right time’

Wheelchair rugby captain Gavin Walker is confident Great Britain are “peaking at the right time” ahead of launching their Paralympic title defence in Paris.

Former firefighter Walker made history at Tokyo 2020 as part of the squad which memorably clinched his country’s first gold in the team sport.

Results since the Japanese Games have been mixed during a transitional period made more difficult by rival nations intensifying the competition for major titles.

Yet Walker is optimistic his side, who begin their Group B fixtures on Thursday morning against Australia ahead of taking on Denmark and France on the following two days, will once again be in the medal mix.

“We probably weren’t the favourites going into Tokyo but we had this confidence that we can achieve a gold medal,” the 40-year-old told the PA news agency.

“Things are just coming together at the right time and we believe we can have the same success in Paris. We think it can go our way.

“Saying that, the games this time around are going to be much closer. The top seven teams, arguably eight teams, are so much more competitive than it’s ever been.

“I expect most of the games to be very, very close, so we’ll have to see – all to fight for.

“We’re peaking at the right time, everyone is feeling as though it’s coming together and I’m confident we can put on a great performance.”

Led by joint skippers Walker and Chris Ryan, ParalympicsGB defeated the United States 54-49 in the final three years ago.

Ryan, who has switched sports to table tennis, and the influential Jim Roberts are among those to have subsequently moved on, while seven of the reigning champions remain, in addition to five Games debutants.

Great Britain were runners-up to Paralympic hosts France at the last two European championships, either side of a disappointing seventh-placed finish at the 2022 world championships in Denmark.

Walker, who is being assisted by vice-captain Stuart Robinson, feels the current squad is stronger than the once which triumphed in Tokyo.

“It has taken us three years to rebuild,” said the father of two from Rotherham, who sustained a spinal injury after slipping on wet decking at a family barbecue in 2010.

“The changing athletes, the changing coaching staff, it’s definitely been a work in progress.

“The Europeans and the world championships between Tokyo and now haven’t gone our way.

“Losing key players from your team is always going to mean it’s going to take some rebuilding and a lot of that is just time, rebuilding that chemistry and putting in the hours to make sure we can perform at our best.

“In many ways, we are stronger this time around.”