ParalympicsGB: What we've been up to in January

Winter season gets underway

With 2025 underway, attention turns to the Winter sports and the athletes vying for qualification and a place on the ParalympicsGB team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics Winter Games which take place in Italy next March.

Vision impaired skier and Beijing 2022 gold medallist Neil Simpson claimed Giant Slalom gold alongside guide Rob Poth at the World Cup in Courchevel at the end of last year – next up is the World Championships in Maribor, Slovenia, beginning 4th February.

The Para Snowboard team have been in action too with Para Snowboard Cross World Cup events across the region. James Barnes-Miller finished eighth in Phya and Ollie Hill the best of the Brits with eighth in Lenk. 

Para Nordic skier Scott Meenagh warmed up for the Para Biathlon World Championships with an excellent fourth place at the Para Biathlon World Cup Sprint in Val di Fiemme, his final competition before the Para Biathlon World Championships get underway in Pokljuka.

The wheelchair curling squad meanwhile are gearing up for the World Championships which take place in Stevenston, Scotland in less than two months’ time. Two Scottish and one English team lined up at the Euro Super League in Stirling earlier this month, which also featured current World champions Norway, Paralympic hosts Italy and Sweden. Scotland 1 finished top of the rankings in the event which was the last opportunity for Paralympic programme athletes to make their case ahead of selection for the Worlds in March.

Victory for Brits at Australian Open 

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid secured a sixth successive Australian Open Wheelchair Doubles title to continue their scintillating form since their Paris 2024 Paralympic success.

The duo defeated Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi and Frenchman Stephane Houdet 6-2 6-4 to secure their 22nd Grand slam title together.

Hewett was back on court again in the men’s wheelchair singles final where he dominated defending champion Tokito Oda to win the tenth Grand Slam singles title of his career with a straight sets victory.

Andy Lapthorne, who won a silver medal in Paris, won the quad wheelchair doubles title with partner Sam Schroder - his eighth Australian Open doubles title.

Issy Bailey retires from shooting

Three-time Paralympian Issy Bailey has announced her retirement from Shooting Para sport. The 30-year-old pistol shooter, who took up the sport in 2014 as a method of rehabilitation following a spinal cord injury, went on to compete at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and most recently the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Revealing her decision on social media, Issy said:

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all those who’ve had a hand in my shooting career. I’ll be forever grateful to the coaches, managers, physios, psychs, support crew, sponsors, National Lottery and, of course, British Shooting - athletes couldn’t do what we do without you all. Thank you so very much for turning me into a Paralympian, three times.”

Remembering Maurice Hammerton

Two-time Paralympian Maurice Hammerton sadly passed away earlier this month. Maurice was an integral part of the ParalympicsGB wheelchair basketball team at both the 1980 and 1984 Games, and in fact dedicated much of his life to the sport. He represented Great Britain more than 100 times winning World and Paralympic medals along the way, and was deeply involved and influential at club level too, both as a player, coach and at board level. Everyone at ParalympicsGB sends our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.