And if hasn't gone to plan for all of Britain's former champions this Games, it did for Hannah Cockroft, who collected her fourth consecutive T34 100m title and her eighth Paralympic gold last night at an electric Stade de France.
Cockroft's face was focused under her visor as she waited on the line and she accelerated away after 20 metres, head down, powerful shoulders pounding, beating her teammate, second-placed Kare Adenegan, by 1.19 seconds.
Cockroft was still grinning when she spoke to reporters after being roared across the line. "That's what we do it for," she said, "that support, it's amazing. I can't wipe the smile off my face, my wheels were vibrating from the noise, I knew Paris could do it and I'm so glad they did."
But being a champion year after year brings its downsides - namely, pressure.
"I'm making my life well hard doing this," she said. "It is scary, at the start line one kid was just saying 'Cockroft, Cockroft', and you know you're the one people are watching and you don't want to let people down - but that's why you do it.
Denne historien er fra September 02, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 02, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Consumer champions
BT has left my father, 80, with no phone for months.
Money hacks How to save a bundle on children's clothes
Charity shops can be a goldmine for bargains - use the Charity Retail Association's online search page to find ones that stock children's clothes, or in London, head to one of FARA's 14 stores that specialise in kids' clothes.
University students Why are tuition fees going up and who does it affect?
The government has announced fees in England will rise to £9,535 in 2025. Shane Hickey gives you the lowdown on the changes
British Airways owner IAG's profits up 15%
Strong demand for transatlantic travel has bolstered the profits of International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, with the UK national carrier outperforming rivals despite widespread European flight delays.
Taking the plunge Seven date ideas that won't break the bank
You certainly don't need to spend a fortune to have a fun and romantic time, whether it's your first date or the 101st.
The price of love How much does dating cost - and who pays the bill?
Hinge+ costs £14.99 for a week, £24.99 for one month, £49.99 for three months and £74.99 for six months. One week of HingeX costs £24.99, a month is £44.99, three months £89.99 and six months comes in at £129.99.
China offers £646bn to local government but balks at big stimulus
China has announced 10tn yuan in debt support for local governments and other economic measures, but stopped short of a \"bazooka\" stimulus package many analysts expected.
Secret diary of TV freelancer Brutal hours, fear, panic - and finally a kick in the teeth
An anonymous producer writes about their experiences of the brutal hours, low budgets and high stress of television production
Shares plunge for housebuilder Vistry after new profit warning
Shares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder Vistry have plunged after it issued a second profit warning in as many months and said cost overruns on building projects were worse than previously thought.
Families may get post office compensation, says minister
The postal minister has said that family members and employees of post office branch owners who have not been eligible to make claims over the Horizon IT scandal may be allowed to apply for compensation.
