Penny Briscoe holding her Sport Hall of Fame award in front of the University of Birmingham Sport & Fitness backdrop.CategoriesAnnouncement

#PathwaytoParis | Hall of Famer Penny Briscoe on 2024 Games

#PathwaytoParis | Hall of Famer Penny Briscoe on 2024 Games

Paralympics GB Chef de Mission and University of Birmingham Sport Hall of Famer Penny Briscoe OBE has reflected on another successful Games in Paris.

 

Paris 2024 closed on Sunday with GB finishing second in the overall medal table with 124 medals – of which Birmingham representatives contributed six, across the eight events they competed in.

 

Penny was inducted into the University’s inaugural Sport Hall of Fame in 2023 and continued her role as Chef de Mission for GB, a role she has held since 2014.

 

Speaking to the media, she said: “Paris has been an incredible Games for ParalympicsGB, both on and off the field of play.”

 

“The athletes and staff have had an incredible Games experience here in Paris. I don’t think we could be going home any happier.”

 

Listen to her full interview with Sky Sports News, as the team touched back in the UK following the Games closing ceremony.

 

Penny Briscoe talks to Lora Fachie at Hall of Fame event
UoB Sport Hall of Fame Inductee Penny Briscoe OBE
Josh O'Brien and Para rowing team sport medalsCategoriesAnnouncement Events

#PathwaytoParis: Three Days, Four Paralympic Medals

#PathwaytoParis | Three Days, Four Medals

With this year’s Paralympic Games underway, Birmingham is playing its part with four medallists helping GB to a successful start in Paris.

Sports scholar Megan Richter wearing her British Triathlon kit, smiling at the camera

It was gold for Megan Richter in her maiden Games in the PTS4 category with the 23-year-old helping GB to a five-medal Triathlon haul.

 

The Cardiovascular Sciences alumna’s success looked in doubt only a year ago when recurring stress fractures looked to have halted her career. However, her extensive rehab and training with the UoB Sport Performance and Scholarship teams not only helped her to overcome her injury – but also realise her Olympic dream.

 

Watch our latest video with Megan here

 

Para Rower Josh O’Brien also claimed the University’s first gold of the games in the PR3 mixed coxed four event – a sport he only took up two years ago.

 

The 22-year-old took up the sport in his second year studying economics at the University and, following a gold in his debut Games, it looks to have been the right decision.

Josh O'Brien team photo with GB rowing team, medals around necks
Credits: Benedict Tufnell
Annie Caddick with fellow rower, medals around necks
Credit: Benedict Tufnell
Lora Fachie Hall of Fame

Fellow Para Rower Annie Caddick claimed a silver medal in her PR3 mixed doubles sculls event, who’s rowing career also began during her time at Birmingham.

 

Birmingham’s four medal of the Games so far was secured by UoB Sport Hall of Famer Lora Fachie OBE who won bronze in the Para Cycling Pursuit. The former champion missed out on defending her title, but will have another chance at a medal in the road races.

The Games continue in Paris until 8 September, so keep an eye out on the @UBSport Instagram page for all the latest updates from Paris.

Eiffel Tower with Olympic rings for Paris 2024CategoriesAnnouncement

#PathwaytoParis: a Paralympics preview

#PathwaytoParis | A Paralympics preview

With a week to go before the start of the Paralympic Games in Paris, let’s take a look at the University of Birmingham staff, students, alumni and affiliates who are heading to the French capital for the 2024 Summer Games – the first time the Para Games have been held in France.

 

Para Athletics

Law and criminology alumna and UoB Athletics Team Scholar Didi Okoh suffers from a rare medical condition called lymphedema, causing swelling in her leg due to excess fluid collecting in tissues. 2024 National long jump champion Didi will compete in the T63 100m.

16-year old athlete Maddie Down, a UoB School athlete who has cerebral palsy, will attend her debut Games with Team GB. Maddie, who has trained through alumni and staff members Dean Miller and Hannah England’s academy, will be competing in both the T38 Long Jump and the 100m.

 

31 August

10.08am | T38 Women’s 100m Round 1 (Maddie)

7.06pm | T38 Women’s 100m Final 

5 September

9.04am | T38 Women’s Long Jump Final (Maddie)

7 September

10.27am | T63 Women’s 100m Round 1 (Didi)

8.22pm T63 Women’s 100m Final

Didi Okoh with a bronze and gold medal
Didi Okoh

Para Canoe

Reigning KL3 canoe sprint Paralympic champion Laura Sugar MBE will take on her third Games at Paris. Laura trained as a PE teacher at the University in 2014 and got gold at the last Games in Tokyo, so she will be looking to reclaim her title this year.

 

6 September
10.55am | Women’s Kayak Single 200m – KL3 Heats

8 September
9.42am | Women’s Kayak Single 200m – KL3 Semis

11.07am | Women’s Kayak Single 200m – KL3 Final A

Laura Sugar MBE at the University of Birmingham Sports Awards
Laura Sugar MBE

Para Cycling

University of Birmingham Sport & Fitness Hall of Famer Lora Fachie OBE will be also looking to keep hold of her Pursuit Champion title – taking home both gold and silver at Tokyo and gold and bronze in Rio.

 

30 August 
1.12pm | Women’s B 1000m Time Trial – Qualifiers 

3.34pm | Women’s B 1000m Time Trial – Final

1 September
10.22am | Women’s B 3000m Individual Pursuit Qualifiers

1.31pm | Women’s B 3000m Individual Pursuit – Final

Lora Fachie with her Hall of Fame Award, standing in front of the Sport of Fitness/Hall of Fame sign.
Lora Fachie MBE

Para Rowing

Alumni Annie Caddick and Josh O’Brien will be attending their debut Games with the GB Para Rowing team. Annie will compete in the PR3 mixed double sculls, and Josh, who started rowing as an alternative to football following an injury, will compete as part of the PR3 mixed coxed four.

30 August
10.30am | PR3 Mixed double sculls (Annie) Heats

11.10am | PR3 Mixed cox four (Josh) Heats

31 August

10.10am | PR3 Mixed double sculls Heats

10.30am | PR3 Mixed cox four Heats

1 September

9.30am | PR3 Mixed double sculls Final B

9.50am | PR3 Mixed cox four Final B

11.10am | PR3 Mixed double sculls Final A

11.30am | PR3 Mixed cox four Final A

Josh O'Brien

Para Triathlon

Joining the largest ever Para triathlon squad heading to the Games is Cardiovascular Sciences Masters alumna Megan Richter, who will compete in the PTS4 category, and Paralympic veteran Alison Peasgood. Alison will compete in her third consecutive Paralympics in the PTV1 Women’s category – and first after having her son in 2023.

1 September
9.25am | Women’s PTS4 (Megan)

2 September

9.10am | Women’s PTV1 (Alison)

Sports scholar Megan Richter wearing her British Triathlon kit, smiling at the camera
Megan Richter

Team behind the team

Penny Briscoe OBE continues her role as Para Team GB’s Chef de Mission, a position she has held since 2014 as well as being the Director of Sport for the team.

As Para GB’s most successful ever Chef de Mission, Penny has facilitated an environment in which both athletes and staff can thrive, and ensured that para-sport continues to develop nationally and internationally.

 

Maimee Titmuss-Morris, the University’s first Performance Lifestyle Lead, is now the Performance Lifestyle Coach for British Gymnastics and British Triathlon and is accompanying Team GB as the Staff Wellbeing Manager.

Penny Briscoe talks to Lora Fachie at Hall of Fame event
Penny Briscoe OBE

London 2012 Paralympian and T37 1500m European medallist Dean Miller will be the Endurance Coach for Team GB. Dean is an alumnus and staff member and has worked with both athletes heading to Paris.

 

Vicki Barker, who was Guild VP for Sport (2013-14) and Captain of the UoB Gymnastics Club during her time at the University, is off to the Paralympics working on Women’s Rugby management.

Dean Miller will join team GB's Games staff as Athletics Team Coach for Endurance
Dean Miller
Megan Richter in front of a black backdrop smiling at cameraCategoriesAnnouncement

#PathwaytoParis: Para-triathletes Paris-bound for Team GB

#PathwaytoParis | Para-triathletes Paris-bound for Team GB

Cardiovascular Sciences Masters alumna Megan Richter will attend her first Olympics with Team GB as part of the Para Triathlon squad, and Olympic veteran Alison Peasgood will compete in her third consecutive Olympics – and first after having her son in 2023.

 

Having been a para-swimmer in her early teens, Megan is no stranger to winning medals. She made the switch to Triathlon in 2017, where she promptly went on to win gold for Great Britain at her first event, the World Triathlon Para Cup Funchal. Despite missing the 2023 season, Megan smashed the 2024 season with five podiums ahead of Paris; a succession of silver and gold medals achieved across a PTS4 Women’s Cups and Series, which leaves her in very good stead for the upcoming Games – her first Paralympics.

Also in the Team GB Para Tri team – the largest ever squad – heading to France in a matter of days is seasoned paratriathlete Alison Peasgood. Alison achieved a silver in Rio 2016 – the first year that Paratriathlon became an Olympic sport – and is also 2 x World and 3 x European champion, so she is used to placing on that podium. Alison has also had an impressive return to the sport after giving birth to her son in 2023.

Speaking to Paralympics GB, Alison said it’s been an emotional rollercoaster [getting to the point of qualifying] for her third Games.

‘It’s taken a village to get me to this point and I’m grateful to all of them for their support. I am looking forward to representing ParalympicsGB alongside my amazing guide Brooke. Not sure what my son Logan will make of it all, but I hope one day he will be proud to have been part of this journey with me.’