Multiple successes made for another amazing medal haul for Paralympics GB yesterday (Thursday 5 September 2024).

Pembroke enjoys field day
In one of the most impressive individual field performances of the Games, Dan Pembroke broke the Paralympic javelin world record twice in reaching the gold standard.

In an astonishing few minutes Pembroke threw 71.15m in the third round before adding a further 3.34m to successfully defend his F13 title with a throw of 74.49m. Worth noting is that the men’s javelin title at the 2024 UK Athletics championships was won with a throw of 75.06m

Making waves in the pool
Alice Tai won her fourth Paralympic medal with gold in the women’s S8 50m freestyle. She claimed her second Paralympic title with her personal best time since she had her leg amputated two years ago.

Becky Redfern also earned a gold medal in the women’s S13 100m breaststroke event, at her third attempt, having won silver at the same event at Rio 2016 and in Tokyo respectively.

Iona Winnifrith made history yesterday when the 13-year-old became ParalympicsGB’s joint youngest swimming medallist this century, achieving a British record to win silver in the women’s 100m SB7 breaststroke. Winnifrith was competing in her second final at her debut Games and is the youngest member of ParalympicsGB.

Commenting on her performance, Winnifrith said: “Of course, I really wanted that gold, but you can’t have everything,” She added: “I’m 13, I’m young, but I’m super happy with that performance.

Blades of glory
In a repeat of the Tokyo Paralympic final, ParalympicsGB’s Piers Gilliver, Dimitri Coutya and Oliver Lam-Watson picked up silver as they were beaten 45-34 by arch-rivals, China, in the team foil.

China haven’t lost in the team event since it’s introduction at London 2012, though the British team reckon the gap between them is closing. Lam Watson commented: “Silver always feels a bit bittersweet; it’s winning a medal but losing a gold”.

Fantastic four
Sammi Kinghorn scored her fourth medal, from four races in the Stade de France, with a silver in the T53 400m.

Kinghorn had beaten Catherine Debrunner to 100m gold but the Swiss racer, won the race in a Paralympic record of 51.60s, with Kinghorn finishing in 53.45.

Hot shot
Anna Nicholson claimed bronze in the women’s F35 shot put with a throw of 9.44m, an impressive upgrade on her sixth-place finish in Tokyo.

Two for Twomey
Bly Twomey (14) won her second bronze medal in her debut Paralympics in the WS7 singles table tennis tournament.

Twomey, the fourth seed, already had a bronze medal, with Fliss ­Pickard in the WD14 doubles, when she also made history as the youngest table tennis medallist at a Paralympic Games. 

Killer kilos
Olivia Broome claimed a powerlifting bronze medal with a superb performance in the 50kg competition to add to the bronze she won in the Tokyo Games. Meanwhile, in the men’s 65kg category, debutant Mark Swan also achieved a bronze.

Warburton, the toast of British basketball
Wheelchair basketball player, Gregg Warburton, was the star player for ParalympicsGB as they ended a 28-year wait to reach a Paralympic final.

After six successive semi-final defeats ParalympicsGB beat Germany 71-43 in Paris to make the gold medal game for the first time since 1996, with Warburton notching up 35 points.