ParalympicsGB: What we've been up to in March

What’s been happening in March? Find out more below…

Paralympic qualification and sensational silver for Scots at World Wheelchair Curling Championships

Great Britain’s wheelchair curlers have secured qualification for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games after final ranking points were awarded at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships which took place in Scotland earlier this month. 

ParalympicsGB will be represented in Italy next year in both the team and mixed doubles events after a tremendous two weeks of competition at the Auchenharvie Leisure Centre in Stevenston. Scots Hugh Nibloe and Charlotte McKenna claimed world silver in the mixed doubles event – new to the Paralympic programme next year – beating Korea in the semi-final before losing out to Japan in the final. 

In the team event, Scotland – who earn the Paralympic Games qualification points for Great Britain - finished seventh overall, with England one place behind in eighth. The world title went to reigning Paralympic champions China, with Korea claiming silver and Canada beating Slovakia for bronze. 

England skip Stewart Pimblett was presented with the World Curling Wheelchair Sportsmanship Award. The award is voted on by athletes who were invited to nominate a fellow competitor who, in their view, best exemplified the traditional values of skill, honesty, fair play, sportsmanship and friendship during the championship.

Brilliant bronze for Scott Meenagh

Para Nordic skier Scott Meenagh delivered a superb bronze medal-winning performance at the Para Biathlon Sprint World Cup in Torsby, Sweden, to claim his first World Cup podium of the season.

The 35-year-old finished behind the USA’s Aaron Pike and Kazakhstan’s Yerbol Khamitov in the final race – the Sprint Pursuit – to finish third overall in the World Cup standings, a career-best placing for the Scot.

Meenagh said: “I am incredibly proud of today’s result. I put myself under a lot of pressure going into the final day, as I knew there was not only medals, but a best-ever placing in the overall World Cup standings at stake.

“I’m so proud I was able to deliver a medal on the final day. The team have worked so hard all season to help me turn out some very consistent results. I felt I owed it to them to take one step further and reach the podium.”

Para Snowboard World Championships 

The Para Snowboard World Championships took place in Big White, Canada in March with James Barnes-Miller, Matt Hamilton, Nina Sparks and Ollie Hill all in action. Beijing 2022 medallist Hill finished sixth in the Banked Slalom SB LL2 competition and reached the Small final of the Snowboard Cross SB LL2 event.

Simpson skis to fourth in World Cup

Beijing 2022 gold medallist Neil Simpson finished fourth in the VI Slalom 2 & seventh in the VI Giant Slalom 3 at the Veysonnaz 2025 FIS Para Alpine Ski World Cup.

National titles for Para table tennis players Hunter-Spivey, Shilton and Stacey

Paralympic medallists Jack Hunter-Spivey and Billy Shilton took national honours in the Para classes at the Mark Bates Ltd Table Tennis England Senior National Championships in Nottingham this month, winning the Class 2-5 and Class 6-10 finals respectively, and at the Butterfly Welsh National Championships in Cardiff Joshua Stacey retained his Para class 6-10 singles title.   

IPC award for ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe 

ParalympicsGB’s Paris 2024 Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe CBE has been recognised in the International Paralympic Committee’s 2025 International Women’s Day Awards, receiving the award for leadership. 

The Awards, which have been running since 2013, recognise women in the Paralympic Movement who inspire and emulate the Paralympic ideals and serve as positive role models. The winners were chosen by members of the IPC Governing Board following nominations by IPC member organisations. The 2025 Emerging Leader award was presented to Zakia Khudadadi, who won bronze as part of the Refugee Paralympic Team at Paris 2024, while the NPC Member Award went to Iran. 

Dan Brooke has been appointed Chair of ParalympicsGB, succeeding Professor Nick Webborn CBE in the role. 

Dan was Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer and a Board member at Channel 4, a period covering four Summer and Winter Paralympic Games including London 2012, during which he championed the broadcaster’s relationship with the Paralympic movement.

He has deep connections with the Paralympic movement as was previously a member of ParalympicsGB’s Social Impact Committee and served on the Global Brand Advisory group at the International Paralympic Committee.

Dan said: “My lifelong love affair with Paralympic Sport was sparked by London 2012 and snowballed into a lifelong mission for disability inclusion.

“I am honoured to renew my vows with this precious movement and cannot wait to help ParalympicsGB take on the world at Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028 and help change the world for people with disabilities in the process.”

Dan, who is CEO of Smart Energy GB, takes over from Professor Nick Webborn CBE who has now served the maximum eight years across two terms.

Nick said: “It has been an honour and privilege to be Chair of ParalympicsGB for the past eight years.

“There is so much to be proud of - outstanding performances at Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, creating a meaningful social impact approach and a new athlete community are but a few.

“I would like to thank the athletes, staff, board members and wider membership for their unwavering support and hope to continue to be involved in the evolution of the Paralympic movement which is so close to my heart.”

Wheelchair basketball player Maddie Thompson has retired from international sport after a highly successful career spanning 16 years. 

Maddie became the youngest wheelchair basketball player to represent Great Britain when she competed in the 2008 European U22 Championships at just 13-years-old. She made her Paralympic debut at London 2012, then at Tokyo 2020 she co-captained the team alongside her role of Assistant Coach. 

Throughout her career Maddie picked up several medals, including silver at the 2018 World Championships, and a total of three bronze and one silver from European Championships.

Also this month, Boccia competition assistant Sarah Nolan stepped down from her role with the sport after a number of years both as Team Coach and as competition assistant to three-time Paralympic champion David Smith. 

We wish all three the very best in the future!