Memorable moments for ParalympicsGB from Paris 2024

Lauren Rowles made rowing history, archer Jodie Grinham won gold while pregnant, and wheelchair tennis duo Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid buried lingering trauma during 11 action-packed days in Paris.

Javelin star Dan Pembroke, schoolgirls Bly Twomey and Iona Winnifrith, and Britain’s men’s wheelchair basketball team also hit the headlines at the first Paralympic Games to be staged in the French capital.

Here, the PA news agency picks out some of the standout moments.

Oar-some display

Delight for Dan

Pembroke made little secret of his desire to retain the F13 javelin title by breaking the world record. He more than delivered thanks to a gladiatorial-esque display at Stade de France. Visually-impaired Pembroke whipped up the crowd before blowing kisses, bowing and performing an impromptu lap of honour wrapped in the Union Jack after initially stretching the previous best global mark and then smashing it with a mammoth throw of 74.49 metres. “The crowd just got behind me and that was my secret weapon,” he said.

Game, set and match

Hewett and Reid suffered painful defeats to French pair Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer in the gold medal matches at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. The pair completed a career golden slam by finally ending their wait for Paralympic doubles glory. “It’s the stuff of dreams,” said Hewett, following a dominant 6-2 6-1 win over Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda at Roland Garros. Hewett fell agonisingly short against Oda in the singles final 24 hours later in one of the greatest matches in wheelchair tennis history.

Expectant mum delivers

Grinham spent time at a Paris maternity ward thinking she may be going into early labour, before winning two medals. At seven months pregnant, she dramatically snatched bronze from defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine in the individual compound event. Three days later, the 31-year-old surpassed that feat by winning gold with Nathan Macqueen in the mixed team compound. Asked how she will relay the tales to her unborn child, Grinham said: “It will be like, ‘You were on the podium – the youngest member to be on the podium’.”

Landmark taekwondo titles

Great Britain’s quest for an historic first Paralympic wheelchair basketball gold was scuppered as the United States completed a ‘three-peat’ in the men’s final. A crowd of 20,000 crammed into Bercy Arena on the last evening of competition. Following bronzes in 2004, 2008, 2016 and 2021, GB moved within three points of the back-to-back defending champions with just under 12 seconds remaining. But they could not complete a sensational comeback. Silver represented their best result since losing the 1996 final to Australia.

Teenage dreams

Maiden medal for Refugee Paralympic Team