ParalympicsGB eyeing medals on day one in Paris

Several British Para-swimmers qualified for finals connected nan opening greeting of nan 2024 Paralympics arsenic nan sporting action sewage nether measurement successful Paris.

Teenage sensations William Ellard and Olivia Newman-Baronius, who are 2 of 16 debutants connected nan swimming team, comfortably came done their respective S14 100m butterfly heats astatine La Defense Arena.

Ellard, 18, and Newman-Baronius, 17, who some won golden astatine nan Open European Championships successful Madeira successful May, will beryllium beardown favourites to triumph their finals.

Ellard swims astatine 17:35, while world grounds holder Newman-Baronius' last follows astatine 17:42 BST and she will beryllium alongside team-mates Poppy Maskill, who group a blistering gait successful nan 2nd heat, and Louise Fiddes.

Toni Shaw besides stood retired successful nan women’s S9 400m freestyle and will beryllium hoping for a badge successful her last (16:40).

And Tully Kearney led from nan beforehand successful nan women’s S5 200m freestyle. The 27-year-old will beryllium hoping to upgrade nan metallic she won astatine Tokyo 2020 successful nan last (19:40).

Just an hr into nan session, a world grounds was surgery successful nan women’s S9 50m freestyle by Christie Raleigh-Crossley of nan United States. She powered to nan wall successful 27.28 seconds.

Elsewhere, British boccia fable David Smith began his quest for a 3rd consecutive golden successful superb style, beating Brazil’s Jose Oliveria 5-2 successful nan men’s BC1 lucifer astatine nan South Paris Arena.

Also astatine nan South Paris Arena, 14-year-old Para table-tennis prima Bly Twomey sewage her Paralympic profession disconnected to an outstanding start, alongside Felicity Pickard, pinch a 3-0 triumph against Norway successful nan women’s doubles WD14 quarter-final. They return connected China astatine 17:30 for a spot successful nan final.

Twomey has a engaged time arsenic she besides teams up pinch Joshua Stacey successful nan mixed doubles XD17 astatine 13:13.

One of nan astir recognisable names successful nan ParalympicsGB squad is Kadeena Cox, who could triumph nan nation’s first golden medal.

The Paralympic champion will beryllium 1 of nan favourites going into nan women’s C4-5 500m clip proceedings heats astatine nan velodrome. The last gets nether measurement astatine 14:15.

The 33-year-old changeable to fame aft becoming nan first British jock to triumph golden medals successful 2 different sports, cycling and athletics, successful nan aforesaid Games successful Rio 2016.

Fellow GB Para-cycling stars Neil Fachie, James Ball and Steve Bate are besides successful action connected time one.

Seven-month pregnant Jodie Grinham will make history successful nan individual compound archery arsenic nan first British female to beryllium competing truthful acold into pregnancy.

The 31-year-old lines up alongside team-mate and Paralympic champion Phoebe Patterson.

Will Bayley, who won array tennis golden astatine Rio 2016 and metallic successful Tokyo, starts his campaign, while nan women’s hoops squad look Spain successful nan group stages. The men’s squad has already beaten Germany 76-55.

Claire Taggart will besides beryllium looking to impressment successful her Boccia group.