ParalympicsGB in December: What we've been up to

BBC Sports Personality

BBC Sports Personality of the year saw ParalympicsGB’s most decorated athlete of all time Dame Sarah Storey nominated for the top award alongside five of Britain’s best sports performers of 2024.

Elsewhere, Paris 2024 debutant and double Paralympic Champion William Ellard was nominated for Young Sports Personality of the Year.

Despite neither scooping their respective awards, it was a magical night with many ParalympicsGB athletes heading to Salford to see their achievements celebrated.

Honours list

Athletes who represented ParalympicsGB in Paris and our Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe were among those recognised in the King’s New Year Honours 2025 list.

Both Penny and Hannah Cockroft, who won another two gold medals in Paris and played a key role in the Equal Play Campaign film both received CBEs for service to Paralympic sport.

OBE winners included Lauren Rowles, the first rower ever to win gold medals at three consecutive Paralympic games and Sammi Kinghorn, who dominated in the Stade de France winning five medals.

MBEs went to a number of other big names from Paris including icon Stephen McGuire who claimed gold in the Boccia BC4 category and Para-cycling serial winner Sophie Unwin alongside her tandem partner Jenny Holl.

SJA British Sports Awards

The Sports Journalists’ Association held a reception at the House of Commons to celebrate the winners of this year’s awards. The SJA Bill McGowran Trophy for male and female Para athletes of the year went to Dave Ellis and his guide Luke Pollard (Para triathlon), and Jodie Grinham (Para archery).

Dave and Luke won gold in Paris as well as world and European titles this year, while Jodie won individual bronze and team gold alongside Nathan Macqueen in Paris while she was seven months pregnant.

Swimmer Poppy Maskill - ParalympicsGB’s most decorated athlete at the Games - was the joint winner of the SJA Peter Wilson Trophy for breakthrough performance of the year alongside darts player Luke Littler while the National Lottery Spirit of Sport Award went to swimmer Alice Tai.

Will Arnott

It was with great sadness that we lost Paris 2024 Paralympic debutant Will Arnott in December. You can read more about Will in our dedicated piece here: ParalympicsGB | Remembering will arnott