Maskill wins GB's first gold in the pool but it's heartbreak for cyclist Cox
The Guardian|August 30, 2024
Swimmer Poppy Maskill set a stunning new world record yesterday to deliver Great Britain's first gold medal of the 2024 Paralympics.
Tanya Aldred
Maskill wins GB's first gold in the pool but it's heartbreak for cyclist Cox

The 19-year-old clocked one minute and three seconds to claim the women's 100m butterfly S14 title on the first day of the Paralympics in Paris. Asked how she was feeling, Maskill said: "Unreal. Weird. I was just hoping that I swam as hard as I could, and see what happens."

Maskill's success at La Defense Arena followed a silver for fellow British teenager William Ellard in the men's equivalent event.

Ellard, 18, touched the line in 54.86 seconds and was pipped to gold by Danish athlete Alexander Hillhouse.

Earlier in the day inside a sweltering Paris velodrome, ParalympicsGB's medal count began with silvers for Daphne Schrager and the pairing of Stephen Bate and Christopher Latham on the tandem. But there was heartbreak for gold-medal favourite Kadeena Cox, who fell at the first bend in her final.

Cox, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis after a stroke in May 2014, was racing in the 500m time trial - two laps of the track against the clock in the C4-5 category and had been second fastest in the morning's qualifying races.

This story is from the August 30, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 30, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GUARDIANView All
City win 'will clear minds and souls,' says Guardiola
The Guardian

City win 'will clear minds and souls,' says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City's return to winning ways will \"clear our minds and souls\" as he insisted the Premier League champions will get back to their best after a welcome 2-0 victory at Leicester.

time-read
1 min  |
December 30, 2024
Haaland's bundle of joy gives Guardiola timely lift
The Guardian

Haaland's bundle of joy gives Guardiola timely lift

It was not without the kind of faults that have become the norm of late, but Pep Guardiola finally rebooted his winning Manchester City machine in his 500th match in charge.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024
Liverpool's high five Slot shrugs off transfer talk as Reds go eight points clear
The Guardian

Liverpool's high five Slot shrugs off transfer talk as Reds go eight points clear

Arne Slot has said the January transfer window will not become a distraction from Liverpool's fine run of form or cause a loss of control in his relationship with his players.

time-read
1 min  |
December 30, 2024
Salah stars again as Liverpool rout hapless Hammers
The Guardian

Salah stars again as Liverpool rout hapless Hammers

With 54 minutes gone at London Stadium, Trent Alexander-Arnold took a pass from Ryan Gravenberch with time to wait and look up, the lack of pressure from the West Ham players almost a public snub, before spanking a deflected shot past Alphonse Areola to make it 4-0 to Liverpool and kill off once again a game that was already long since dead.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024
Eze seals comeback to leave Saints stranded
The Guardian

Eze seals comeback to leave Saints stranded

When Aaron Ramsdale swapped warming the bench at Arsenal for a relegation battle with Southampton, even the England goalkeeper couldn't have imagined it would be this bad.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024
Gibbs-White profits off 'farcical' Everton as Forest go second
The Guardian

Gibbs-White profits off 'farcical' Everton as Forest go second

Nottingham Forest continue their remarkable ascent under Nuno Espirito Santo. A club that was one place above the relegation zone when Nuno arrived 12 months ago climbed to second in the Premier League with a comfortable win against Everton.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024
Strand Larsen's late strike piles pain on Postecoglou
The Guardian

Strand Larsen's late strike piles pain on Postecoglou

For Tottenham, a home game against relegation-threatened opposition ought to mean only one thing. Instead, there was a sense of foreboding before and during plenty of this one.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 30, 2024
Iraola delighted by 'perfect' Ouattara strike
The Guardian

Iraola delighted by 'perfect' Ouattara strike

Andoni Iraola lauded Dango Ouattara's impact off the bench as he came on to score an 89th-minute equaliser in Bournemouth's draw with Fulham.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024
Wilder defiant after Grant levels and Blades falter again
The Guardian

Wilder defiant after Grant levels and Blades falter again

When does a stutter become a stumble? After a first home defeat of the season against Burnley on Boxing Day, the Championship high-flyers Sheffield United dropped two more home points against managerless West Brom.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024
'Staying was easy. Manchester just feels like home'
The Guardian

'Staying was easy. Manchester just feels like home'

Kerstin Casparij on her new City contract, Gareth Taylor's obsessive levels of detail and her excitement for Euro 2025

time-read
4 mins  |
December 30, 2024