GB medal targets lowered after challenging build-up to Games

The 228-strong Great Britain team, underwritten with £75million of UK Sport funding, had the pressure eased ahead of today’s Paralympics opening ceremony, when chef de mission Penny Briscoe highlighted “the exceptional circumstances and protocols” which have affected the build-up due to the pandemic.

Britain has finished among the leading countries at the past three

Paralympic Games, claiming 147 medals in Rio in 2016, including 64 gold, 39 silver and 44 bronze medals. At London 2012, the GB medal haul totalled 120, with 34 of them gold, and in Beijing in 2008, the team amassed 102 medals, with 42 of them gold.

Here, GB athletes compete in 19 of the 22 sports, and although expectations from individuals will be high, Briscoe said last night that pressure was being taken off the participants due to what athletes had been through.

“Training has been challenging at times, and although we have been resilient and adaptable, there have been many missed competition opportunities and it’s not been a level playing field globally,” she said.

“To predict the number of medals is very, very challenging. I think what we do know is across the cycle, all 19 sports have all experienced success and I think that’s a really good starting point coming into the Tokyo Games.”

Strict safety measures are in place to protect athletes and staff, but there has already been one positive

Covid-19 case within the GB paraswim contingent and Briscoe said: “I can report that the staff member involved is fit and well. The rest of the para-swim squad are also fit and well. Two athletes were identified as close contacts. They are here in the village and are actively in training and preparing. We have additional measures in place for them.”

Mike Sharrock, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association, said that “99 per cent of the team had been double vaccinated” after it “had been strongly recommended”.

Briscoe also disclosed that greater caution over Covid-19 was necessary, given the medical conditions of some team members.

“We are doing everything we can to protect the health and well-being of the team, but also the volunteers, the workforce and the Japanese public.

“It’s a real team effort to keep everyone well,” she said.