Flagbearers Bywater and Shuker aiming to inspire

Never in a million years did Lucy Shuker and Terry Bywater think they would be ParalympicsGB flagbearers.

Three-time wheelchair tennis medallist Shuker, 44, will lead out GB at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Opening Ceremony at the Place de la Concorde alongside wheelchair basketball’s Bywater, 41, who has won four bronze medals across six Paralympic Games.

And after being given the historic role, Shuker hopes that she can inspire others to prove the doubters wrong and not take no for an answer.

“I was absolutely shocked,” said Shuker, who is the first wheelchair tennis player to be named as flagbearer since Peter Norfolk at London 2012.

“I knew that I was nominated and shortlisted but the other girls who were shortlisted have way more achievements than myself so I just never thought that it would be me.

“It’s a dream come true not just to be a Paralympian but to be a flagbearer for the team.

“From being told by people in the sport that I was too disabled to now still competing and striving. I want to inspire those who are told no or that they can’t to push, because I’m now a Paralympic flagbearer.”

The ParalympicsGB flagbearers were chosen by the athletes themselves, nominated and voted to be the representatives of the team by those they represent, a sentiment that Bywater believes is one of the proudest moments of his life.

“My fellow peers have voted for me to carry the flag,” he said. “I don’t know if that is because of my age and that everybody knows me, I think it was down to a bit of respect and what I have done for wheelchair basketball generally.

“I’ve won European Championships, World Championships, I obviously haven’t got the Paralympic gold yet. It is a super proud moment in my life.”

With the official roles of flagbearer sealed, Shuker and Bywater noted that they both also hold the unofficial roles of mum and dad in their respective sports, having competed in Paralympic Games that took place before some of their Paris 2024 teammates were even born.

But both are welcoming their unofficial parenting roles with open arms as they lead ParalympicsGB out on the biggest sporting stage.

“My other team members call me the mum of the team, which is quite embarrassing as I do think that I am old enough to be the mum of some of them,” said Shuker.

“But I’ll take it because to still be here at my age and representing my country is an achievement and an honour.”

Bywater added: “Your role changes within the group. I have gone from a teenager who didn’t really play, just went for the experience, to playing 40 minutes, and now to be a father figure of the team.

“It is quite cool to be a father figure, at 41-years-old and still having the confidence behind me from the coaching staff, from the players that if we get into a situation on the court where I am needed, I’m ready.”