ParalmypicsGB - What we've been up to in October

What’s been happening in October? Here’s a round-up of news

Steve Bate among British successes as he retires with gold at Para cycling track World Championships

Great Britain’s Para cycling team enjoyed a sensational UCI Para cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, finishing second on the medal table with nine gold, eight silver and six bronze medals won over four days of competition.

Jody Cundy led off the golden celebrations on day one with his sixteenth straight kilo world title ahead of teammate Archie Atkinson, before adding a second gold on day two with a win in the men’s C4 sprint. Tandem pair Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl reclaimed their women’s B individual pursuit title – setting a new world record in qualifying too. 

Paralympic champions James Ball and Steffan Lloyd took their first ever world title in the men’s tandem B 1km time trial, adding the tandem sprint title on the final day of competition, while Lizzie Jordan and Danni Khan – who also won gold at Paris 2024 – enjoyed the same dominant success in both women’s events. Archie Atkinson took gold in the men’s C4 10km scratch race, powering home in the final 250m to seal the win.

There were further podium finishes too for Blaine Hunt, Matthew Robertson, Fin Graham and Kadeena Cox.

Double Paralympic champion Steve Bate meanwhile signed off on a high as he brought his 12-year Para cycling career to a spectacular end with gold in the men’s tandem B individual pursuit alongside pilot Chris Latham. 

Bate won four world titles and five Paralympic medals over the course of his career, including two golds on his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 in the men’s B individual pursuit on the track and men’s B time-trial on the road. Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby also won bronze in the men’s B road race. 

At Tokyo 2020 the pair won silver in the men’s B individual pursuit on the track, then in 2022 Bate teamed up with pilot Chris Latham ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games where they won bronze for Team England. Further success for the duo continued at World Championships before Bate’s final Paralympic outing at Paris 2024 where he won silver in the men’s individual pursuit in world record time.

Eighth world title for Para triathlon’s Dave Ellis and guide Luke Pollard

Reigning Paralympic champion Dave Ellis and his guide Luke Pollard continue to dominate Para triathlon as the pair claimed gold at the World Championships in the Gong, Australia. Victory marks an eighth world title for the pair who compete in the vision impaired category. Oscar Kelly and his guide Jack Hutchens finished in a commendable sixth place. 

Henry Urand also struck gold, successfully defending his world title in the PTS3 category. Ryan Taylor made it a British one-two with silver on his return to competition. Lauren Steadman also made the podium, claiming bronze in the women’s PTS5 race. 

Days later at the World Triathlon Para Cup in Alanya, Turkey, Steadman took gold in her PTS5 race, finishing around three minutes ahead of her rivals. Oscar Kelly, guided for the first time by Skip Snelson, finished second in the PTVI category, with Rhys Jones, guided by Malachi Cashmore, finishing in sixth. Oliver Scott, fresh from his win at the Super Series, was the final podium finisher in the British team, finishing in third place. 

In the PTS3 category, it was fantastic to see George Peasgood back competing for the first time at this level since his bike accident in 2022 that left him in a coma. George finished in seventh place.

Cockroft golden hat trick among 25 medals for GB&NI squad at World Para Athletics Championships 

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Para athletics team claimed 25 medals, including seven gold, five silver and 13 bronze at the World Para Athletics World Championships in India. 

Nine-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft took her tally of world titles won over the course of her extraordinary career to no fewer than 19 with wins in the 100m, 400m and 800m T34 – registering two championship records on the way. The 33-year-old has won world titles at every Championships since 2011.

Sabrina Fortune also retained her world title, winning shot put F20 gold with yet another world record. The 28-year-old threw 16.75m with her first attempt to seal her fourth consecutive World Championship gold. 

Aled Davies turned the tables on the man who beat him to Paralympic gold last summer winning his seventh consecutive world shot put (F63) title, throwing 16.44m in the fifth round.

Two-time Paralympic champion Dan Pembroke completed his hat trick of global golds with a third consecutive World Championship win in the javelin F13 – despite suffering an injury setback just weeks before the Championships. 

There was a first ever global gold medal meanwhile for Victoria Levitt who won the women’s 100m T44 on her international debut. The 29-year-old went on to run a personal best of 27.46 to add silver over 200m on the final day of competition.

GB Para Powerlifting team shines at World Championships 

British Para Powerlifting sent their biggest ever squad to the Powerlifting World Championships in Cairo, Egypt with athletes delivering a number of impressive performances including a podium finish. Mark Swan won a bronze medal in the up to 72kg class to add to the silver he won at Paris 2024, Olivia Broome just missed out on the podium as she was fourth in the women’s up to 55kg class, Matthew Harding was sixth in the men’s up to 80kg class and Liam McGarry was seventh in the over 107kg class. Among the other Paris 2024 Paralympians competing Lottie McGuiness was 10th in the under 55kg class and Louise Sugden finished eleventh in the women’s up to 86kg class.

Para canoe Paralympic and world champion Hope Gordon meanwhile finished an admirable 20th on her major tournament debut. The Scot had posted on Instagram about her desire to represent Team Scotland at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. With no Para canoe on the programme, Gordon – who won Para canoe world gold in August this year – challenged herself to see if she can qualify for Team Scotland as a Para Powerlifter. Watch this space! 

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European medals for British Wheelchair basketball teams

Great Britain’s men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams both enjoyed great success at the 2025 IWBF European Championships in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The women’s team saw off Germany in the semi-finals before going down 66-59 to defending champions the Netherlands in the final. The men’s team also claimed silver – unbeaten through the pool stages before losing out to Spain 69-72 in their gold medal game. Both teams secured qualification for next year’s World Championships in Canada. 

Fifth European title for Para badminton’s Dan Bethall

Top seed Dan Bethall claimed his fifth European men’s singles title in Turkey, defeating Oleksandr Chyrkov 21-9, 21-8 in the SL3 men’s final for the second time in three years, having previously overcome the Ukrainian at the 2023 European Para Championships.

Defending SH6 men’s singles champion Jack Shephard had to settle for silver as he lost out to French Paralympic champion Charles Noakes in the final, but he successfully defended his mixed doubles title alongside Anya Butterworth after regular partner Rachel Choong was ruled out of the tournament through injury. Shephard and Butterworth defeated compatriot Krysten Coombs and Azerbaijan’s Zahra Salmanli 21-10 21-8, with Butterworth also winning silver in her first European singles final. Coombs meanwhile joined forces with Noakes to claim gold in the SH6 men’s doubles.  There were bronze medals too for Rob Donald and Wales’ Jack Wilson (men’s SU5 singles), Emma Stoner (SL4 women’s singles), David Follett (WH1/2 mixed doubles), Andrew Davies (SH6 men’s and mixed doubles), Curnow Pirbhai-Clarke and William Smith (both SL3/4 men’s doubles).

Silver for Skelhon at Shooting European Championships

Matt Skelhon claimed silver at the World Shooting Para Sport European Championships in Osijek, Croatia scoring 253.8 in the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 event. Ryan Cockbill was fifth in the R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2, with Tim Jeffery in seventh. 

Football 5-aside silver

The England men’s squad won the IBSA Nations Cup after a 1-0 victory over Iran in the final in India. The tournament serves as preparation for the 2026 European Championships.

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British teams line up at Goalball European Championships 

Great Britain’s women finished a commendable fifth after losing out to Ukraine in the quarter finals of the Goalball European Championships in Finland, while the men’s team finished in eighth place. Turkey took the top spot in both competitions.

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Sydney 2000 Wheelchair rugby reunion

ParalympicsGB was delighted to be invited to a reunion of the Sydney 2000 ParalympicsGB Wheelchair Rugby team. Celebrating 25 years since they competed, ParalympicsGB Director of Sport Penny Briscoe had the pleasure of presenting those in attendance with their recognition tokens. Each token represents one Paralympic Games attended and ParalympicsGB are on a mission to present every Paralympian with their special keepsake marking participation at a Games. 

ParalympicsGB mourns the loss of Gorazd Vecko MBE

ParalympicsGB is devastated by the news that British Para Table Tennis Performance Director Gorazd Vecko MBE has passed away at the age of 53.

Gorazd played an integral and transformational role in British Para sport for nearly 20 years, having previously coached Mateja Pintar to win the first Paralympic gold medal for Slovenia in table tennis at Athens 2004. He was recruited by British Para Table Tennis in 2009 and went on to lead the team at four Paralympic Games. Under Gorazd’s inspirational and committed leadership, the team enjoyed great success – in no small part thanks to the ‘family culture’ that he introduced at the high-performance base in Sheffield that he also established.

ParalympicsGB table tennis players went on to win four medals at London 2012 and three at Rio 2016, including golds for Will Bayley and Rob Davies, while at Tokyo 2020 the team won no fewer than seven medals, then five more at Paris 2024. Gorazd created a culture – both professionally and emotionally - that will be part of his legacy in the British Para sport system.

Gorazd also held notable roles with the International Table Tennis Federation and was Vice-President of Table Tennis England. He was awarded an Honorary Member of the British Empire (MBE) by His Majesty King Charles III in 2023 for his services to British Para Table Tennis.

Gorazd’s love and passion for the sport and its development was matched by his warm and caring attitude which was immediately clear to all who had the great fortune of working with him.

Penny Briscoe, Chef de Mission at ParalympicsGB who worked alongside Gorazd through four Paralympic Games said: “I started working with Gorazd in 2009 and he quickly became not only a valued colleague but a cherished friend. Throughout his time with British Para Table Tennis he was resolute in his support for his athletes and teammates and steadfast in his desire to see us all be the very best in the world. His passion and pride in his role and in his sport were unerring; so too his commitment to ParalympicsGB and the Paralympic Movement.

“Gorazd believed in us all and we believed in him. The support he gave to me as Director of Sport and Chef de Mission was unwavering; he always checked in to see how I (and my family) was and I knew that he was always there not only for me, but for ParalympicsGB colleagues too. He always went the extra mile to ensure things were done well and to the best possible standard.

“Gorazd was a key member of our team leader group for four Paralympic cycles - we will miss his smile and his support and forever be grateful of all that he achieved. To the man with the kindest heart and the warmest hug, thank you for everything.”

The ParalympicsGB family sends love and heartfelt condolences to Gorazd’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time. RIP Gorazd, forever in our hearts.

Para Table tennis players in action 

A16-strong squad of British Para table tennis team athletes paid tribute to their late Performance Director, Gorazd Vecko MBE, by competing in the ITTF World Para Elite Yvelines 2025 in France and showing the courage and determination that has become the hallmark of the team under the Slovenian’s inspiring and dynamic leadership.

Supported by the coaching team led by BPTT head coach Andrew Rushton, they won seven medals in the singles events including gold for Fliss Pickard (women’s class 6), Rob Davies (men’s class 1) and Will Bayley (men’s class 7) and bronze for Bly Twomey (women’s class 7), Paul Karabardak (men’s class 6), Aaron McKibbin (men’s class 8) and Joshua Stacey (men’s class 9).