THIS WEEK marks the start of 11 days of inspirational sporting and human achievement as the Paralympic Games begin in Rio.
Coventry will have seven athletes represent Team GB in this year’s game – with sports ranging from athletics to judo, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.
We have the lowdown on where to catch our Paralympic heroes in action and how they made it to Rio 2016.
Kare Adenegan: At the age of just 15, Kare Adenegan is one of the youngest members of the Team GB squad to travel out to Rio.
Despite her young age, Kare has already amassed an impressive list of medals after scooping bronze at the IPC Athletics World Championships in the 400m and 800m categories.
Melissa Nicholls: Worcester-based runner Melissa Nicholls will be hoping her Coventry training base will provide her with the tools needed to claim gold when running in the T34 class.
Incredibly, Melissa’s main rivals will be Coventry locals Hannah Cockcroft and Kare Adenegan – three trio swept the podium at last year’s IPC Athletics World Championships final.
Rio 2016 will be Melissa’s second Paralympic Games.
Sam Ingram: Rio 2016 will mark the third consecutive appearance at the Paralympic Games for Sam Ingram – who will be in action during the opening three days of the games, starting today.
At the age of 31, Ingram is the most decorated British athlete on the Paralympic programme – having secured bronze in Beijing and silver in London.
Now based in Edinburgh, Ingram – who was inspired to take up Judo by his brother Joe – will be hoping to go one step further at this year’s games.
Hannah Cockcroft: Coventry University student Hannah Cockcroft will be hoping to build on her two gold medals from London 2012 when lining up in the T34 category on track.
Nicknamed ‘The Hurricane’, Cockcroft suffered her first T34 defeat in her career to 15-year-old Kare Adenegan last year.
The 23-year-old will be hoping to fire from all cylinders as she aims for medal success again.
Charlotte Moore: Charlotte Moore’s Paralympic campaign will start today as Team GB take on Canada in their opening Group A fixture of the Women’s Wheelchair Basketball.
The Coventry-resident has been playing wheelchair basketball for eight years and she’s since earned herself a bronze medal at the European Championships in 2013 and 2015.
Outside of wheelchair basketball, the 17-year-old – who will celebrate her 18th birthday on Tuesday – also excels at wheelchair tennis and racing.
Ben Rowlings: An unfortunate allergy to chlorine saw Ben Rowlings switch from the pool to track in an attempt to secure gold at wheelchair racing.
The 20-year-old, who trains in Coventry, has gone from strength to strength in the sport since being spotted by Job King at a talent ID at the age of 15.
He will face strong competition from British rival Isaac Towers in the Men’s T34 event.
Jim Roberts: Hailing from Welshpool in central Wales, Jim Roberts will be competing in his first Paralympic Games after first playing wheelchair rugby in 2010.
Roberts, who gained 1st Class honours degree in Architectural Design Technology at Coventry University, will line up for Team GB in the Wheelchair Rugby tournament.
His appearance comes six years after leaving hospital following his diagnosis of bacterial meningitis – which resulted in the amputation of both of his legs.
