Ellie Challis won gold in the women’s 50m S3 backstroke – Andrew Coudlridge/Reuters
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Ellie Challis, the quadruple amputee with no hands or feet who was inspired to swim by a dolphin with a prosthetic tail, raced to her first Paralympic gold medal last night in the women’s S3 50m backstroke.
This was Great Britain’s 27th gold medal of these Games, with Louise Fiddes claiming another podium-topping moment soon afterwards in the women’s SB14 100m breaststroke final. Challis dominated, in a time of 53:56, almost five seconds ahead of Zoia Shchurova.
Challis, the 20 year old from Essex, who has become an ambassador for meningitis awareness, said: “I was very confident that I could do better than this morning and a PB was all I could ask for whether that got me first, second or third then that’s what it was. But wow that was a good swim.”
Having competed as a 17-year-old in Tokyo, she added: “Para sport is so different – we have people drop in and out of our classifications all the time and you never know what the year is going to hold. I went to the worlds in 2019 and since then I’ve just gone up and up and up.
“It’s been the most incredible day ever. I was so confident in myself but it’s a swimming race anything can happen. But wow that was fun. My family are just up there. I just want to say a big thank you to my dad, my sisters and my coach Aled as I couldn’t have done it without them.
“Since working with Aled two years ago I’ve improved so much. He gives me so much confidence in my swimming and I really couldn’t have done it without him, either at the worlds two years ago or today. I’ve got one day left and we’ll see what happens tomorrow but this is a full dream come true and tomorrow is just about enjoying every moment and taking it all in and whatever happens, happens.”
The life story of Challis is nothing short of inspirational. She was 16 months old when she contracted meningitis and was given a five percent chance of survival, resulting in the amputation of her four limbs. Aged 8, she began swimming at the Colchester Phoenix swimming club, motivated by watching a film about a dolphin named Winter, whose tail was amputated after getting caught in a crab trap. Nothing has held Challis back, including being a talented snowboarder, who dreams of becoming a baker. Perhaps The Great British Bake Off now awaits golden’ Challis.
Elsewhere, in boccia, Stephen McGuire defeated Colombian Edilson Chica Chica 8-5, in a sublime display in the gold medal match of the men’s individual BC4.
Jodie Grinham, seven months pregnant, and Nathan MacQueen took the gold in the Mixed Team Compound Archery, beating Iran 155-151, with two tens from the final two arrows.
Challis wins gold on another successful day for Great Britain: As it happened08:41 PM BSTBoth Brits out in heat two
Disaster for Great Britain as both David Weir and Daniel Sidbury are knocked out. Weir finishes sixth and Sidbury seventh, meaning both miss out on the top five and will not be in the final with Nathan Maguire. Weir got trapped in a little bit and will be disappointed with his tactics in that race.
David Weir has not made the final – Adam Davy/PA
08:33 PM BSTMcKibbin through in table tennis
The final game goes to Aaron McKibbin and he has beaten Slovakian Richard Csejtey 11-8 7-11 13-11 9-11 11-8 to book his place in the quarter-finals, which take place on Wednesday.
Aaron McKibbin into the quarter-finals – Kacper Pempel/Reuters
08:31 PM BSTMaguire through in men’s 1500m T54
In heat one Great Britain’s Nathan Maguire finishes third and comfortably progresses through to the final. Six-time paralympic gold medalist Marcel Hug was at the back and in a spot of bother, but just managed to get into the final, finishing fifth in the final qualification process.
David Weir and Daniel Sidbury up in heat two.
08:23 PM BSTAll to play for in the table tennis
Aaron McKibbin was just one game away from victory but Slovakia’s Richard Czejtey has responded to win game four to take it to a deciding game.
08:20 PM BSTMen’s 1500m T54 round one
David Weir goes for Great Britain in heat two alongside Daniel Sidbury. Nathan Maguire is in heat one, which gets under way in five minutes.
08:18 PM BSTMcKibbin in control
After losing game two, Aaron McKibbin has bounced back to win game three to take a 2-1 lead. Win game four and he will book his place in the quarter-finals.
08:03 PM BSTPara table tennis
Great Britain’s Aaron McKibbin is in action in the round of 16 against Slovakia’s Richard Csejtey. McKibbin is one game up.
07:59 PM BSTWheelchair basketball
Great Britain have made it three wins from three against hosts France, winning 85-50.
07:55 PM BSTPetrillo out
Iran’s Hagar Safarzadeh Ghahderijani leads out from the front and takes the semi-final in 56.07. Venezuela’s Alejandra Paola Perez Lopez runs a personal best to come home in second. Valentina Petrillo finishes in third and will not make the final.
Valentina Petrillo knocked out in the semi-finals – Adam Davy/PA
07:47 PM BSTPetrillo up next
The world and paralympic record holder Omara Durand Elias wins the first semi-final comfortably in 54.77.
Valentina Petrillo is up in the second semi-final.
Transgender athlete Valentina Petrillo in action – Adam Davy/PA
07:44 PM BSTWomen’s 400m T12 semi-finals
Valentina Petrillo is up in the second semi-final.
Two-time paralympic gold medalist Libby Clegg has said on Channel 4 that if she were competing in this event alongside Petrillo, she probably would not feel like it was a level playing field.
07:34 PM BSTJK Rowling on X
Transgender athlete Valentina Petrillo is in semi-final two of the women’s 400m T12 semi-finals at 19.43 BST. JK Rowling, who is very vocal on the transgender topic, has expressed her view on Petrillo:
Why all the anger about the inspirational Petrillo? The cheat community has never had this kind of visibility! Out and proud cheats like Petrillo prove the era of cheat-shaming is over. What a role model! I say we give Lance Armstrong his medals back and move on. #Cheats #NoShame pic.twitter.com/bvqhs3DexI
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 2, 2024
07:32 PM BSTAlfie Hewett speaking after beating Japan’s Daisuke Arai
“Relief probably. I haven’t really played a lot against him in recent years so a little bit of a ‘learning on the job’ sort of match. He was taking my serve really early and punishing it so it put a lot of stress on me. I think I can give myself a lot of credit on how I coped with that. I saved four set points in that first set and was a lot more in control in the second so happy with that.”
07:29 PM BSTWheelchair basketball
They have reached the end of quarter three over at Bercy Arena and Great Britain lead the hosts France 61-42.
07:23 PM BSTJodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen speaking to Channel 4 after their gold
Nathan Macqueen:
“It’s pure relief. This is my third Games and I hadn’t medaled. We are both parents now and there is a lot of sacrifice being a high-performance athlete, being away from your children. They are the hardest bits but this has made it all worth it, I can give my wee boy a medal.”
Jodie Grinham:
“It has been eight years in the making. We have trained hard, we knew we could do it. We have been through it, we’ve supported each other and we’ve had amazing support from ArcheryGB and our coaches. We get the joy of being able to come out here and smash it together.”
Gold in the archery for Great Britain – Alex Slitz/Getty Images
07:19 PM BSTJonnie Peacock speaking to Channel 4
“I smashed the first bit, I’m so frustrated. I did exactly what I wanted to do to about 50m. It’s race practice.
“I was proud of the 60m and I’m proud (Costa Rica’s Sherman Guity) Guity won. It’s frustrating but 2017 Jonnie would have wiped the floor with them. That’s the guy I need to find, he was there for about 50m today – but the last 40 I’m disappointed.”
On his preparation:
“It’s been a tough year. To be completely honest, for five years now I have struggled to find my form. This year the was the first I time found it again.
“I don’t want to say it’s come to soon – I said that three years ago. This year it’s on me. We still have the relay – hopefully we’re not coming back empty handed.”
06:59 PM BSTWheelchair basketball
Great Britain lead hosts France 37-27 at half-time as they look to make it three wins from three.
06:56 PM BSTDisappointment for Shilton
Over in the men’s singles table tennis Billy Shilton has been beaten by Thailand’s Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri 3-1. Aaron McKibbin is up later against Slovakia’s Richard Csejtey.
06:54 PM BSTPeacock misses out on medal
He got a great start but faded as the race wore on. He finishes in fifth as Costa Rica’s Sherman Isidro Guity Guity takes the gold with a paralympic record of 10.65. Italy’s Maxcel Amo Manu takes silver, Germany’s Felix Strong the bronze.
Costa Rice take gold – Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
06:50 PM BSTMen’s 100m T64 final
Great Britain’s Jonnie Peacock goes in lane two. He won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016 before taking bronze at Tokyo 2020. Can he add another medal to his collection?
06:43 PM BSTGold for Great Britain
They have done it! Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen take the gold, beating Iran 155-151. What a way to do it with two tens from the final two arrows. Remember Grinham is seven months pregnant.
Gold for Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen – Alex Slitz/Getty Images
06:39 PM BSTGB take small lead into final end
Both teams experience some nerves during that end as Nori and MacQueen both register eights, Nori doing it twice. Great Britain therefore take a two-point lead into the final end as they lead 115-113. How are your nerves?
06:34 PM BSTIran fight back
Roles are reversed in the second end as Iran take it by the same margin as Great Britain won the first, meaning we are all square at 77-77 at the halfway stage.
06:32 PM BSTGreat Britain hit the front
As you would expect in a final, it is tight but GB have edged in front after the first end 39-38 against Iran.
06:27 PM BSTPara archery final
Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen are going for gold against the Iranian pair of Fatemeh Hemmati and Hadi Nori. India beat Italy to take the bronze just a few moments ago.
06:20 PM BSTGB in action
Billy Shilton is under way against Thailand’s Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri in the last 16 of the men’s table tennis singles.
Great Britain are looking to make it three wins from three in the men’s wheelchair basketball as they take on the hosts France.
