Lucy Shuker and Terry Bywater named ParalympicsGB’s opening ceremony flagbearers

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Wheelchair tennis player Lucy Shuker and wheelchair basketball player Terry Bywater have been selected as ParalympicsGB’s flagbearers for the opening ceremony of Paris 2024.

Shuker made history alongside her former doubles partner Jordanne Whiley when they became the first women to win a medal for Great Britain in their sport by claiming bronze at London 2012.

The pair also achieved third place on the podium at Rio 2016 before securing silver at the delayed Tokyo Games three years ago.

Redcar-born Bywater is a four-time bronze medallist – in 2004, 2008, 2016 and 2021 – and preparing to compete at the seventh Games of his career following his debut at Sydney in 2000.

The opening ceremony of Paris’ maiden Paralympic Games takes place on Wednesday evening.

Up to 4,400 athletes are due to parade along the Champs-Elysees to Place de Concorde in front of an estimated 65,000 spectators.

Competition starts on Thursday, with medals up for grabs in track cycling, swimming, taekwondo and table tennis, and continues until the closing ceremony on Sunday, September 8.

Following Whiley’s retirement, Shuker will partner 21-year-old Games newcomer Abbie Breakwell in the French capital – beginning on Friday at Roland Garros – and will also enter the women’s singles draw.

The 44-year-old, from Fleet, Hampshire, was paralysed from the chest down following a motorbike crash in 2001 and made her Paralympic debut seven years later in Beijing.

“To have that honour to lead ParalympicsGB out is incredible and something that I never thought I would do,” she said.

“To qualify for my first Paralympics in Beijing was an achievement in itself, but to come to my fifth Paralympics and now be a flagbearer is a real dream come true.

“Leading the parade down the Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde is going to be really different – eyes will be on me, but also the rest of ParalympicsGB.

“We are a big team and to be at the front of that is insane, incredible and an honour.”

Bywater and his team-mates take on Germany in their opening Group A fixture on Thursday morning before meeting Canada and hosts France on Saturday and Monday respectively.

The 41-year-old was born without a tibia and a fibula in his left leg, which was amputated when he was two.

“It’s a dream come true, I feel quite emotional,” he said. “Carrying the Union flag, it hasn’t sunk in – I’m just super, super proud.

“This is not just about me, this is for the 215 athletes that are here, all the staff, my family, my wife, my son, my family that have passed away that always followed me – I’ll be doing it for everyone.”

Games veterans Shuker and Bywater were selected to be flagbearers following an athlete vote among GB’s 215-strong squad.

Swimmer Ellie Simmonds and archer John Stubbs performed the roles at Tokyo 2020 before boccia champion David Smith took on the responsibility for the closing ceremony.