The Guardian

Paris 2024 Paralympics day one: Maskill wins first GB gold on big night in pool – live

By Daniel Harris (earlier) and Beau Dure (now),

9 hours ago

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3F2eVv_0vDxcWg800 — Tully Kearney celebrates winning gold in the Women's 200m freestyle S5 final. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

9.05pm BST

Big win in taekwondo …

Khudadadi was evacuated from Afghanistan just before the Tokyo Paralympics and was able to compete.

Here’s her story:

8.56pm BST

The Netherlands just continue to make things difficult for Australia.

Big 3-pointer for Shaun Morris at one end, then Mendel Op den Orth answers for the Netherlands with a basket and a free throw.

Op den Orth then snags a defensive rebound, misses at the other end, claims an offensive rebound, then scores to put the Netherlands back out in front 20-19.

The next Australian possession ends early with a steal. By Op den Orth.

8.47pm BST

My mistake – we apparently have two badminton matches still going.

Australia rattle off the last five points of the first quarter to lead 16-12.

8.45pm BST

And just like that, the Netherlands have rattled off six straight points to take a 12-11 lead over Australia.

We’re now officially down to two live events – this and the last boccia matchup of the day.

8.42pm BST

Epic alert: A men’s doubles quarterfinal has just ended, with Germany’s second-seeded duo of Valentin Baus and Thomas Schmidberger rallying after dropping the first two games 6-11 and 12-14 to win the last three 11-9, 11-9 and 12-10.

Included in that last game – a rally lasting 57 strokes. Please check your highlight provider of choice to check that out.

8.40pm BST

Back in basketball, Australia’s offense has awakened with a couple of fast-break points and a 3-pointer. They lead 11-6.

8.38pm BST

Mongolia’s Surenjav Ulambayar has won gold in the the women’s taekwondo 52kg class with a 5-2 win over Iranian teenager Zahra Ramini.

8.36pm BST

A bit sloppy in the early going for Australia, and the Netherlands work it inside for a short shot and a 2-0 lead.

Australia took gold in this event in 1996 and 2008, then silver in 2012, but they’ve missed the podium the last two times out. They did, though, win the world championship in 2010 and 2014, and they took bronze in 2018.

The Netherlands won in 1992 and took fourth in the last world championships in 2022.

8.31pm BST

The last event of the day is about to start – Australia taking on the Netherlands in men’s wheelchair basketball.

Mongolia’s Surenjav Ulambayer is up 5-0 against Iran’s Zahra Rahimi in the last taekwondo bout of the evening, with a gold medal at stake. Rahimi is only 15 years old.

If you’re channel-hopping, you can also check out boccia, badminton and table tennis.

8.24pm BST

Israel’s Asaf Yasur has just held off Turkey’s Ali Can Ozcan to win gold in taekwondo. Ozcan cut the lead to 13-12 with 47 seconds left, but a bunch of penalties against Ozcan and one body kick from Yasur bloated the final score to 19-12.

The venue for taekwondo will look familiar to those who watched the Olympics earlier this month – the majestic Grand Palais.

8.17pm BST

In table tennis, GB’s Joshua Stacey and Bly Twomey have just advanced past Poland’s Patryk Chojnowski and Katarzyna Marszal in the XD17 mixed doubles. In doubles, the number is the combined classification for the two athletes.

Stacey and Twomey have had busy days. Stacey won a men’s doubles match with Aaron McKibbin in addition to his two wins with Twomey. Meanwhile, Twomey played two women’s doubles matches and took bronze with Felicity Packard.

As mentioned earlier but worth repeating – Twomey is 14 years old. She made her international debut less than 18 months ago. Stacey is a whole decade older and is still just 24.

8.05pm BST

Tully Kearney wins women's 200m freestyle S5

The defending champion pulled ahead after the last turn and did just enough to keep Poida behind her in the last few strokes.

Italy’s Monica Boggioni has bronze, 1.46 seconds behind Kearney and nearly 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the finalists.

Updated at 8.17pm BST

8.03pm BST

Here comes Kearney … the Team GB swimmer cuts roughly a second off the lead in the third 50 meters, now trailing by 0.32 seconds.

8.02pm BST

The women’s 200m freestyle S5 is underway …

Ukraine’s Iryna Poida has a 1.15-second edge over Kearney at the 50m mark.

7.58pm BST

Italy's Francesco Bocciardo sets Paralympic record in men's 200m freestyle S5

The time is slightly slower than his world record but faster than the Paralympic record he set in Tokyo. Bocciardo finishes in 2:25.99. Neutral Paralympian Kirill Pulver is 1.33 seconds back. Ukraine’s Oleksandr Komarov is 4.14 seconds back.

One more race in the pool this evening – the women’s version of this same race. Team GB’s Tully Kearney is the world record-holder.

7.39pm BST

Want to meet some of the US Paralympians to watch?

We have that covered …

7.36pm BST

Italy's Carlotta Gilli wins the women's 100m butterfly S13

The world record-holder held off a strong challenge from the USA’s Grace Nuhfer, who was making up ground toward the end. Nuhfer is competing in her first Paralympics.

Uzbekistan’s Muslima Oldilova took bronze. The USA’s Olivia Chambers was fifth.

7.32pm BST

Women’s 100m butterfly S13 is off …

Italy’s Carlotta Gilli leads at the halfway point. The US swimmers have work to do.

7.28pm BST

Ihar Boki claims 17th Paralympic gold

The swimmer representing Neutral Paralympic Athletes held off a challenge from home-country favorite Alex Portal in the men’s 100m butterfly S13.

Boki won by 0.25 seconds over the fast-charging French swimmer, who was nearly two seconds ahead of the next swimmer in the pack, Spain’s Enrique Jose Alhambra Mollar .

Updated at 7.53pm BST

7.23pm BST

Still to come

In the pool, we have …

Men’s 100m butterfly S13 (visual impairment)
Women’s 100m butterfly S13, with S11 and S12 as well – Grace Nuhfer and Olivia Chambers will seek the USA’s first gold medal of these Games.
Men’s 200m freestyle S5 (physical impairment)
Women’s 200m freestyle S5 – Tully Kearney competes for Team GB.

Taekwondo is the other sport with medals at stake this evening.

Early rounds are ongoing in boccia (Australia’s Jamieson Leeson is up in about 10 minutes), table tennis and badminton.

Goalball has wrapped for the day. The last sitting volleyball match of the day is underway (France-Kazakhstan). Japan lead Germany in the last wheelchair rugby match of the day.

The last scheduled event of the day, getting underway in a bit more than an hour, is men’s wheelchair basketball, with Australia taking on the Netherlands.

7.05pm BST

China’s Chen Yi wins women’s 50m freestyle S10 with world record

Well, now the S10 world record is faster than the S9 world record. Chen shaved more than a quarter of a second off the previous mark with a time of 27.10.

Christie Raleigh-Crossley has the USA’s second silver medal in the last 30 minutes, with a time of 27.38, just off her S9 world record (set in the heats) of 27.28.

The person who had the S10 world record until a minute ago, Canada’s Aurelie Rivard , took bronze.

Updated at 7.26pm BST

7.01pm BST

Here’s where things get confusing – we’re about to have a women’s 50m freestyle S10 race featuring some S9 swimmers, including new world record-holder Christie Raleigh-Crossley of the USA.

Their time (27.28) was faster than the S10 world record held by Canada’s Aurelie Rivard , who is also in this final.

6.58pm BST

Australia's Thomas Gallagher wins men's 50m freestyle S10

Maybe closer than expected, with Gallagher (23.40) barely holding off Brazil’s Phelipe Melo Rodrigues (23.54).

Defending champion Rowan Crothers made it a gold-bronze finish for Australia.

6.56pm BST

A quick reminder of Paralympic classifications:

In swimming, the numbers 1 through 10 are for physical impairment. The greater the number, the less severe the impairment .

Classes 11 through 13 are for visual impairment – again, the greater the number, the less impaired their vision is.

6.53pm BST

They’ve just had the medal ceremony for Team GB’s Poppy Maskill , who was literally bouncing for joy during the national anthem. Beautiful moment.

The finals are running behind schedule. Next up: men’s 50m freestyle S10, with Australians Thomas Gallagher and Rowan Crothers contending.

6.49pm BST

The swimming finals will keep coming up quickly for the next 70 minutes or so, but let’s take a quick peek elsewhere …

Table tennis: Germany’s Thomas Bruechle and Sandra Mikolaschek have swept Team GB’s Thomas Matthews and Megan Shackleton in the XD7 mixed doubles.

Wheelchair rugby: France 53, Denmark 51 final.

6.39pm BST

Jiang Yuhan sets women's 50m freestyle S6 Paralympic record

A thriller between China’s Jiang Yuhan and the USA’s Ellie Marks ! Jiang outtouched the US Army Sgt. First Class Marks and set an S6 Paralympic record in 32.59 seconds.

Marks set the US record of 32.90.

Bronze went to the current world record-holder – Anna Hontar of Ukraine.

6.34pm BST

Hello all! Hope you’ve enjoyed the competition so far today.

The USA have not yet won a medal in these Games, but that may be about to change – Ellie Marks is about to enter the pool for the 50m freestyle.

6.32pm BST

That, then is me. But fear not! Beau Dure is here to coax you through until the day’s end. Peace out.

6.30pm BST

Takayuki Suzuki of Japan wins gold in the men's SB3 100m breaststroke

Efrem Morelli of Italy takes silver and Miguel Luque of Spain bronze. Suzuki went out hard and though he was finished by the end, so was everyone else, meaning they didn’t have the gas to catch him.

Updated at 7.00pm BST

6.28pm BST

And they’re away!

6.28pm BST

We’re about to watch the final of the men’s 50m breaststroke SB3 final. “SB3 is for breaststroke swimmers with co-ordination affected to a low degree in the upper-trunk and arms,” says LEXI , “with the rest of the trunk and legs highly affected, and those with a the absence of limbs. These swimmers maintain good body position solely using their arms and upper body. Most will breathe alternately to keep their head low and bring their hips closer to the surface. Swimmers must show intent to move symmetrically even if their arms and legs are not of even length.”

6.25pm BST

We’re watching a rerun of Poppy Maskill’s world-record swim; lucky us. It really is perfection, the race Lakeisha Patterson and Will Ellard tried to swim, executed. In fairness, Ellard is 18 and Patterson race was four times as long, but still: she measured the distance and what she could do to it, then went out and made it real.

6.20pm BST

Back to the table tennis, I’ve just remembered my dad telling me that when he was a kid, so around the time of the dinosaurs, he wrote in to World of Sport asking for more of it. Must be in the genes.

6.18pm BST

6.14pm BST

Also going on:

6.11pm BST

Huang Wenjuan and Jin Yuchen of China beat Felicity Pickard and Bly Twomey of GB in the women's WD14 table tennis semi-final

They move into the final, while Pickard and Twomey must content themselves with bronze medals. I feel sure they’ll cope.

Updated at 6.38pm BST

6.09pm BST

Also going on, for those of you with doctorates in theoretical physics.

6.07pm BST

In the time it took for me to type that, China went 6-5 in front, and this is slipping away from Pickard and Twomey.

6.06pm BST

So far, so good; they lead 4-2. I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more table tennis on telly because it’s game so many of us can play a bit – if we’re old enough to have grown up in the era of youth clubs. And as I type that, I remember Barry Hearn telling me he was trying to do something with it but in the ping-pong sphere, ping-pong being played with harder bats, making the rallies shorter. That was a fair few years ago now, so I guess it didn’t work out, and if Bazza can’t blow up a sport, you have to suspect no one else can either.

6.00pm BST

We’re down to one channel now, C4 having cut to news . And China have taken over in the table tennis, winning the third set 11-3; can GB reverse the momentum?

5.58pm BST

Goodness me what a performance that was! Maskill was first to show when they came up after the start and took it on from there. It was obvious from halfway that she was going to do it, and do it faster than anyone had ever done it before; brilliant behaviour.

5.56pm BST

Poppy Maskill wins gold – Paralympics GB's first of the Games – in the women's S14 100m butterfly final in a world-record time!

She wins in 1:03.00, taking 0.33s off Newman-Baronius’ mark; Yi Lam Chan of Hong Kong takes silver, Valeriia Shabalina bronze.

Updated at 6.21pm BST

5.54pm BST

Maskill takes it out fast and the world record is under threat! Chan comes back at her, but she’s not going to get there!

5.54pm BST

But now we’ve got the S14 women’s 100m butterfly, with three repping for GB: Louise Fiddes, Olivia Newman-Baronious and Poppy Maskill.

5.53pm BST

Back to the WD14 table tennis semi, GB won the first set but China have just taken the second. It’s tense.

5.51pm BST

Ellard tried to take it from the front and he got so, so close – over 90m, he wins that, and I’m sure a minor tactical tweak wins him it over 100m. But not this time; he’ll be back, though, and I’m certain he’ll get a gold before he’s done.

5.49pm BST

Alexander Hillhouse of Denmark wins gold in the men's S14 100m butterfly

Will Ellard of GB takes silver and Gabriel Bandeira of Brazil bronze. Another belter of a race!

Updated at 6.00pm BST

5.48pm BST

Hillhouse is going to catch Ellard! He’s got just enough water left!

Updated at 5.48pm BST

5.47pm BST

It’s still Ellard but Bandeira and Hillhouse come back at him!

Updated at 5.48pm BST

5.47pm BST

And we’re off, Ellard away quickly and leading at the turn! Go on Will!

Updated at 5.47pm BST

5.46pm BST

Will Ellard gets himself stripped, and he looks confident; I guess he’s 18.

5.43pm BST

And here come our competitors while, in the table tennis, GB lead China 10-5.

5.42pm BST

The S14 classification, germane to our next race, is for athletes with an “intellectual impairment, which typically leads to the athletes having difficulties with regards to pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time, which impact on sport performance in general.”

5.36pm BST

Also going on: GB take on China in the semis of the WD14 table tennis. Bly Twomey, who partners Felicity Pickard, is just 14. 14!

Updated at 5.36pm BST

5.34pm BST

5.28pm BST

We are, though, getting the men’s 100m butterfly S14 final, due off in nine minutes. Going for GB are Cameron Vearnacombe and 18-year-old William Ellard, the European Open champion.

5.26pm BST

I guess we’re not getting that women’s 100m back S2 final, so let me let you know that Pin Xiu Yip of Singapore took gold, Haidee Aceves Perez of Mexico bronze, and Angela Procida of Italy bronze.

5.22pm BST

In the men’s wheelchair basketball, France lead Denmark 31-20 with 6.25 left in the third. The atmosphere is lively .

5.18pm BST

Er, if they show us it – it was due off eight minutes ago.

5.14pm BST

Next in the pool: the women’s S2 100m backstroke final.

Updated at 5.15pm BST

5.12pm BST

Gabriel dos Santos Araujo of Brazil takes gold in the men's S2 100m backstroke

And it’s not close. Vladimir Danilekno takes silver and Alberto Abarza Diaz of Chile bronze.

Updated at 5.37pm BST

5.11pm BST

Dos Santos Araujo of Brazil turns in front, his lead a decent one, and he’ll take some catching.

5.10pm BST

Into the water they get and off they go…

5.06pm BST

And here it comes, the competitors emerging with their helpers. it’ll have to go some to beat those first two races, but that’s what we do.

4.55pm BST

Next in the pool: the men’s S2 100m backstroke.

Updated at 5.10pm BST

4.52pm BST

I dunno, maybe Patterson reasoned that to be Konkoly she needed to go hard from the gun, but surely she’d have had a better chance giving it 100m to get going then kicking and looking to hang on.

4.52pm BST

Zsophia Konkoly of Hungary wins gold in the women's S9 400m freestyle

Lakeisha Patterson of Australia takes silver and Vittoria Binaco of italy bronze.

Updated at 5.38pm BST

4.51pm BST

Patterson leads by 0.3 at 350m but Konkoly is going to catch her!

4.50pm BST

Patterson leads by 2.2. But it’s a proper scrap for bronze – there are five of them challenging – and Konkoly of Hungary is gaining on the leader!

4.48pm BST

Patterson leads by a way at 100m , from Pauli of France from Mecic of Croatia. Already, it feels like the Aussie against the clock.

4.46pm BST

And we’re off, Patterson in front early.

4.45pm BST

Going for GB is Toni Shaw, but the favourite is Lakeisha Patterson of Australia.

4.44pm BST

Next up, the women’s S9 4oom free final.

4.41pm BST

Ugo Didier of France wins gold in the men's S9 400m freestyle

Mayham! And look how much it means to him! Simone Barlaam of Italy takes silver, Brenden Hall, the Australian flag-bearer bronze, but this is all about the local hero, who swam the perfect race – and don’t the crowd let him know!

Updated at 6.18pm BST

4.40pm BST

Didier closes, the crowd shrieking and febrile! Didier goes past barlaam! He’s timed this perfectly! Can he ignite the Games for the hosts?!

4.39pm BST

Didier goes past Hodge into second but at 300m Barlaam still leads. This is going to be a finish !

Updated at 4.53pm BST

4.38pm BST

At 150m it’s still Barlaam by around 0.7s and at halfway he’s extended that to 1.26; Didier holds third.

4.37pm BST

Barlaam of Italy leads at 100m, Hodge of Australia just behind.

4.37pm BST

And we’re off, the first swimming event of the Games under way.

4.35pm BST

The crowd go wild as Didier the local favourite, comes out, and we’re read to go, the arena jumping.

4.32pm BST

We’re away from the velodrome now and at the pool. Off shortly, it’s the men’s S9 400m freestyle final…

Updated at 4.36pm BST

4.28pm BST

Back in the basketball, USA lead Spain 58-52 with 4.30 left in the fourth.

Updated at 4.30pm BST

4.25pm BST

Bate says the Dutch have been the best bike for the last three years – GB beat them once, on this track, because they crashed. He and Latham worked nine months for that race, went quicker than they expected, and still lost, so no complaints.

4.22pm BST

Bangma is only 26, so there’s no reason to think he won’t be back in LA, going for a fourth gold in a row. Bate and Latham recorded their best-ever time and lost by a distance, which tells us just how good the dutch lads are.

4.19pm BST

Tristan Bangma and Patrick Bos of the Netherlands win gold in the men's B 4000m individual pursuit - again

Steve bate and Chris Latham of GB take silver, Lorenzo Bernard and Davide Plebani of Italy bronze.

Updated at 4.21pm BST

4.18pm BST

The lead is 2.919 at the bell, and the Netherlands are cruising home, leading from gun to tape.

4.17pm BST

Gosh, at 3ooom the Dutch lead is 2.2s and it’s hard to see how Bate and Latham sort this with just four laps to go.

4.16pm BST

Just before halfway, the Dutch lead by 1.365; if GB are going to challenge here they need to step on it, because they’re losing 0.5s or so every lap.

4.15pm BST

Bate won this race in 2016 but the Dutch pair took gold in Tokyo and they lead after two laps; at 750m the gap is 0.7ish.

4.14pm BST

Our pairs approach their bikes, tension amping up. The Dutch were quicker in qualifying, but this is about racing not pursuit, and here we go! Sixteen laps for gold!

4.09pm BST

We’re back in the velodrome preparing for the men’s B individual pursuit final, Bate and Latham going for Paralympics GB. Can they beat Bangma and Bos of the Netherlands to win the team’s first gold?

Updated at 4.19pm BST

4.08pm BST

Back to the men’s wheelchair basketball, USA now lead Spain 42-34 with 2.49 to go in the third.

4.05pm BST

Now under way:

4.01pm BST

China, China, top of the league!

3.55pm BST

Back to Cox, the verdict is that she wobbled but there was no mechanical issue – I guess, in a sense that’s bad news, but the tentative good news is that she’ll probably be available for the team event in three days’ time.

3.51pm BST

Coming up at 4.13: Steve Bate and his pilot, Chris Latham, go in the gold-medal match of the men’s B 4000m pursuit

3.46pm BST

“It’s just incredible,” says Daphne. A year ago, after an injury, she didn’t even think she’d be here, but she broke a world record, is happy with her process, proud of herself and her coach, and knows how lucky she is to be competing.

Asked about Kadeena, she says her mate got her into cycling and they’re really close; she was hoping for a podium picture together, but she’s got her family with her and she’s going “ride the high”. You do just that!

Updated at 4.10pm BST

3.42pm BST

Wang is beside herself with joy, while Schrager looks disappointed but warmly congratulates the champ; she’ll be back.

3.40pm BST

Wang Xiaomei of China takes gold in the women's C1-3 individual pursuit in a world record 3:41.192

That is absrub, three more seconds knocked off a time she set earlier today. Daphne Schrager of GB takes silver, avoiding the catch, with Flurina Rigling of Switzerland claiming bronze.

Updated at 3.52pm BST

3.38pm BST

Gosh, Wang leads by over six second now, and this is over. Schrager will do well to avoid being overtaken here.

3.37pm BST

Wang’s lead is up to 3.9s at 1125m and that’s a lot for Schrager to claw back – but Wang has gone out so quickly so you never know.

3.36pm BST

Wang leads by a couple of seconds early doors, but there’s plenty of time for Schrager to catch her…

3.35pm BST

It’s 12 laps of the track , Schrager taking on Wang Xiaomei of China. Wang was slightly quicker in qualifying, but there’s so little between these two…

3.34pm BST

Daphne is ready…

3.34pm BST

3.33pm BST

In the men’s wheelchair basketball, USA lead Spain 26-25 with 3.25 to go in the second.

Updated at 3.34pm BST

3.30pm BST

Oh and this is lovely, from the British Cycling site:

My first experience on the road was, honestly, dreadful. I fell off five times before I even got out of the car park! But I had people around me, like Steve Cramshaw, a talent academy coach who was there to help. Despite the rough start, I kept coming back, determined to improve. The Covid-19 lockdown ended up being a blessing because it gave me time to improve my skills, like clipping in and out of the pedals—a skill that Kadeena Cox, another incredible para athlete, helped me master.

3.26pm BST

Coming up, though: Daphne Schrager goes in the C1-3 individual pursuit final.

3.26pm BST

We’ve still not seen an interview with Our Kadeena, which I guess tells us how she’s feeling. If someone that gregarious and natural on screen doesn’t want to talk, we can be almost certain she’s going through it.

3.22pm BST

Li Zhangyu of China wins gold in the men's C1 3000m pursuit

Liang Weicong, also of China, takes silver, and Ricardo Ten Argiles of Spain the bronze.

3.18pm BST

I can’t lie, I’m still reeling – Kadeena Cox is a hero, and watching her heartbroken like this is sore – she’s still sat on the floor mourning, and it’s so out of character it’s even harder to watch than otherwise. But sport being sport and life being life, we’re eyes down for another final, the men’s C3 3000m.

3.12pm BST

Turns out the issue was not deemed to be a mechanical one, which is why Cox didn’t go again – though it remains to be seen if she’s also hurt. She is, though, back in the team sprint on Sunday, so let’s hope she’s ready to compete.

Updated at 3.15pm BST

3.10pm BST

That was an insane ride from Groot, a worthy champ. But as we cut from her celebrations to Cox, we see her sat alone, legs crossed, crying her life out. And this is sport, I’m afraid– she’s won four golds over two Games, but her cup is not full because that’s not how these superhumans work. This’ll stick with her for evermore and she knows it, but with time, she’ll be proud of what she’s done; she is immortal and eternal.

3.06pm BST

Caroline Groot of the Netherlands wins gold in the C4-5 500m time trial

Sadly, Kadeena Cox succumbed to what we think was a mechanical issue; Marie Patouillet of France takes silver and Kate O’Brien of Canada bronze.

Updated at 3.12pm BST

3.05pm BST

Goodness us, Groot is absolutely destroying this, inside the fastest time by over a second at halfway.

3.05pm BST

The issue, our comms think, was mechanical, but in the meantime Caroline Groot, fastest in qualifying, takes to the track. I’m not sure Cox will be able to race after her because the advantage of going last thanks to setting the fastest time is part of the competition.

3.03pm BST

Glass half-full: the wobble out of the gate was a big hindrance, and when she goes again, she’ll hopefully manage to avoid one. In interview, she said she sometimes gets a bit shaky as a consequence of her MS and hoped her body could refrain for the duration of the competition; I’m not sure if this was that, but it was something, and as Cox departs the track, she looks tearful, my sense that she’ll not be returning.

3.00pm BST

Kadeena Cox comes off her bike at the first corner!

Cox takes a deep breath and off she goes, a wobbly start putting her under pressure … and she comes off her bike before the first turn. Oh man, that is not good to see, but she’ll get another go I think…

Updated at 3.11pm BST

2.58pm BST

Here comes Kadeena…

2.57pm BST

Oooh, Patouillet is outside the leader at halfway but she’s an endurance rider so you’d expect her to come on strong at the end … and she does! She leads with 36.7 so, with two riders to come, has guaranteed herself a bronze medal at worst.

2.56pm BST

It’s Marie Patouillet , the local favourite, to go next…

2.55pm BST

Next to go, Kate O’Brien of Canada, looking to better Li’s time, and she’s almost half a second inside it after the first lap. And she sets a new fastest time of 36.873. One more rider, then it’s Cox…

2.52pm BST

The time trial final is under way, Nicole Murray of NZ setting an opening time of 37.425, but as I type, Li Xiaoui of China betters it with 37.187.

Updated at 2.55pm BST

2.42pm BST

I’ve no idea what’ll happen if she wins, but I’m in bits already.

2.39pm BST

“How did you feel the first time you picked up a gold medal?” asks Joe Wicks, interviewing Cox for Channel 4; “Oh, I cried like a baby,” she replies, before explaining that cycling is a pretty middle-class endeavour and she wants to “change the face” of it. She’s awesome.

Updated at 2.48pm BST

2.36pm BST

Cox’s C4-5 classification is to include people with lower limb impairments or issues with lower limb functionality; Cox, who competed as an able-bodied athlete when she was younger, has MS.

Updated at 2.45pm BST

2.32pm BST

Ah, and we now cross to the velodrome where Cox will contest the first gold medal of the Games. It’s hot outside but it’s roasting in there, because the higher the temperature, the faster the track.

2.31pm BST

It’s been a long schlep for her to get here, as recorded in Tanya Aldred’s piece to which I linked earlier .

The 33-year-old, who ripped up the record book by winning gold in Rio on the athletics track and in the velodrome , tore a calf muscle last winter and then sustained an achilles injury. She recovered to successfully defend her C4 500m time trial title at the Para Cycling Track World Championships in March but picked up another calf tear in training six weeks ago.

2.30pm BST

Back to Kadeena Cox, here’s an older piece giving us an insight into her life.

2.19pm BST

Look who’s at the badminton! He looks about 30 years younger than at the end of the last football season.

2.14pm BST

Yup, USA saw off Canada 51-48 in the wheelchair rugby, but this is just the phoney war. There’s plenty of mileage in this tournament yet.

2.11pm BST

2.01pm BST

Back in the rugby, USA now lead Canada 51-47, with 26.8s to go; this is probably over as a contest, but Canada have sent a message.

1.57pm BST

And here he is, looking good to win a fourth consecutive gold.

1.55pm BST

Email! “ParalympicsGB’s David Smith – resplendent in his red and blue fauxhawk – overcame his opponent D’Oliveira 5-3 in their Boccia BC1 round-robin,” advises Chris Page. “Having raced into a 3-0 lead, D’Oliveira pegged him back to 3-2 before Smith extended his lead. Really tense stuff!!”

Thanks for that, would love to watch it but we’re limited by what’s being shown.

1.53pm BST

Coming up later is the final of the men’s B 4000m individual pursuit. Going for GB are Steve Bate and his pilot, Chris Latham – they face Tristan Bangma and Patrick Bos of Netherlands in the gold-medal match at 4.13pm.

Updated at 4.19pm BST

1.49pm BST

Back to the wheelchair basketball, USA now lead Canada 42-39 with 4.56 left in the fourth. Tahis is shaping up to be a decent finish.

1.45pm BST

I love these so much. The first shot, in particular, is sensational.

1.39pm BST

The women’s wheelchair basketball is over and it’s been a good start for GB, who walloped Spain 69-34. But can they improve on their seventh-placed finish from Tokyo?

1.35pm BST

Talking of world records, this morning Daphne Schrager obliterated her own in in the C3 cycling, but Wang Xiaomei of China beat even that; the pair go head-to-head in the final a couple of hours from now.

1.30pm BST

Cox’s final is up at 2.50pm BST – she qualified for it in second place, but Caroline Groot of the Netherlands, who was fastest, set a new world record in the process.

Updated at 1.30pm BST

1.23pm BST

1.19pm BST

Earlier today, by the way, GB men dealt Germany a right tousing, beating them 76-55 in their first Group A game.

Updated at 1.35pm BST

1.18pm BST

Back to the basketball, GB women are giving Spain a right going-over, up 66-33 in the fourth quarter.

Updated at 1.34pm BST

1.10pm BST

Wheelchair rugby, of course, began life as “Murderball” – a name it shares with a game we played as kids. Two teams, two goals, one ball: get it into the other side’s however you’re able to.

1.06pm BST

Earlier today, GB began their defence of the mixed wheelchair rugby competition, beating Australia – the world no 1 side – 58-55. It’d be no great surprise to see these two meet again for the gold, but USA will have something to say about that.

12.58pm BST

Also going on:

12.55pm BST

In the wheelchair basketball, GB women lead their pool match against Spain 48-25 in the third quarter; in the men’s, USA lead Canada 16-14 in the second.

12.31pm BST

Some morning images from around Paris …

12.00pm BST

Preamble

Morning all and welcome to the Paralympics 2024 – day one!

As you might expect, awaiting us is a ludicrous amount of wondrous sport and we’re under way quickly.

Kadeena Cox, winner of golds in both cycling and athletics at the Rio Games, looks to retain her 500m time trial title – though her build-up has been hampered by injury and illness, while Daphne Schrager goes for gold in the C1-3 individual pursuit.

Then, in the pool we’ve got Tully Kearney seeking to retain her S5 100m freestyle crown with Suzanna Hext also contending; Olivia Newman-Baronius, Poppy Maskill and William Ellard all go in the S14 butterfly; and Spain’s Teresa Perales, who has 27 Paralympic medals, will look to make the S2 100m backstroke final at the age of 48.

Then, this evening, we’ve got the men’s T11 long jump along with Petrucio Ferreira of Brazil, the world’s fastest Paralympic runner, aiming to once again win T47 100m gold. On y va!