ParalympicsGB: What we've been up to in June

Summer is heating up – what’s been happening in June?

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid triumph at French Open

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid’s record-breaking haul of men’s wheelchair doubles titles at the four majors reached another landmark in June as they won the French Open title for a sixth successive time. 

The Paralympic champions and top seeds beat Stephane Houdet of France and Tokito Oda of Japan 6-4, 1-6, (10-7) at Roland Garros for their 23rd Grand Slam title together.

Earlier in the day Hewett’s bid for a fourth men’s singles titles in Paris since 2017 ended in a 6-4, 7-6(6) loss to Oda after the world No.2 fought back from 5-3 down to force the second set tie-break.

Further wins for Brits at Eastbourne Open

With the Wimbledon Championships now close on the horizon, Andy Lapthorne, Greg Slade and Lucy Shuker claimed victories across the singles and doubles draws at the Eastbourne Open.

Lapthorne beat second seed Ahmet Kaplan 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 to win his second Eastbourne Open quad singles crown in three years before joining forces with Slade for the quad doubles final. The Paralympic silver-medallists defeated fellow all-British duo Oliver Cox and Gary Cox 6-1, 6-1.

Shuker secured a second successive doubles title at Devonshire Park, teaming up with former world No.1 Diede De Groot to beat Cornelia Oosthuizen and Macarena Cabrillana 6-0, 6-1.

Urand and Nicholls medal at Europe Triathlon Para Championships

At the European Triathlon Para Championships in France, Henry Urand, who finished fourth on his Paralympic debut last summer, crossed the line over a minute ahead of the field to claim gold in the PTS3 class, while Mel Nicholls won silver in the wheelchair category.

But it was a tough day at the office for Paralympic champions Dave Ellis and guide Luke Pollard who had a mechanical issue on the bike. Despite the setback, they ran a section of the bike course pushing the bike and finished the race, coming home in tenth place. Oscar Kelly, guided by Jack Hutchens, finished fifth.

Michael Salisbury and Finley Jakes finished sixth in the PTS5 and PTS4 categories respectively, while Michael Taylor sadly suffered a puncture on the bike after coming out of the water in second place – he had to settle for tenth place.

World cup bronze for Para rowers

Para rowers Connor Smith and Josh O’Brien claimed PR3 men’s pair bronze at the World Rowing Cup in Varese in the pair’s first race together – and Connor’s international debut. Josh was part of the squad that won PR3 Mixed Coxed four Paralympic gold in Paris last year.

Brits excel at Canoe European Championships

Great Britain’s Para canoeists were in dominant form at the European Championships in Czechia with wins for Charlotte Henshaw, Laura Sugar, Hope Gordon and David Phillipson.

Henshaw and Sugar now hold Paralympic, World and European titles simultaneously in their respective events – the KL2 and KL3 disciplines.

Gordon, who won silver at Paris 2024, took gold in the VL3 ahead of Henshaw, while Phillipson - also a Paralympic silver medallist - won the KL2 men’s final.

There were podium finishes too for Ed Clifton and Stuart Wood who won VL2 and VL3 200m silver respectively.

First athletes named in British Athletics’ squad for World Championships

Seven Paralympic gold and silver medallists have been named in the first round of selection for the World Para Athletics World Championships which take place in Delhi in September.

Nine-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockcroft races the T34 100m and 800m alongside seven-time Paralympic medallist, Kare Adenegan; Ben Sandilands - who won T20 1500m gold at Paris 2024 in world record time - will be looking to retain the world title he claimed on his international debut in 2023, and Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medallist, Marcus Perrineau Daley goes in the T52 100m.

In the field events, Paralympic champion Sabrina Fortune lines up in the F20 shot put; six-time world champion Aled Davies will be looking to add another global title in the men’s F63 shot put and two-time Paralympic champion and current world record holder Dan Pembroke will be the one to beat in the men’s F13 javelin.

The full GB&NI team will be announced in August.

Win for our Equal Play campaign as PM announces new approach to school sport

Since Paris 2024 ParalympicsGB has been working closely with the Government and the sector to kick start a real change for the 75% of disabled children not taking part in regular school sport and PE.

ParalympicsGB welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement of new School Sports Partnerships and a new Enrichment Framework for schools to ensure all young people have equal access to PE and school sport, and looks forward to understanding the detail of the Government’s plans.

King’s Birthday Honours for Monica Vaughan and Andy Lapthorne

Congratulations to Paralympians Monica Vaughan and Andy Lapthorne who were recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list. 

Swimmer Monica Vaughan was awarded an OBE for services to sport. She competed at Toronto 1976 and Arnhem 1980, winning ten medals – nine of them gold. Eighteen-time Grand Slam winner and four-time Paralympic medallist Lapthorne – who last year became the first quad wheelchair tennis planter to represent ParalympicsGB at four Games - was awarded an MBE for services to tennis.

Para cyclist Lora Fachie retires

Two-time Paralympic champion Lora Fachie has retired from competitive cycling after a long-standing and highly decorated career in elite Paralympic sport. 

Over an impressive 15-year career, visually impaired cyclist Fachie has competed at four Paralympic Games, bringing back seven medals including two gold. As a tandem stoker, she has won four world titles on the track and road as well as 15 more world medals. 

Fachie’s first Paralympic Games was at London 2012, where she competed in four events over the track and road alongside pilot Fiona Duncan, with two fourth place finishes in the velodrome. 

At Rio 2016, and now racing with tandem partner Corrine Hall, Fachie won gold in Paralympic record time in the tandem pursuit on the track before picking up a bronze medal in the time-trial on the road. 

At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Lora successfully defended her individual pursuit title on the same day as husband Neil won the men’s tandem 1km time-trial – a treasured memory for them both.  

Silver in the road time-trial followed, making her the most decorated tandem rider in British history. 

Returning to cycling in 2022 after the birth of her son Fachie’s fourth Paralympic Games at Paris 2024 delivered consistent results across the track and road to come home with three bronze medals.