Members of Great Britain's Paralympics team
The 2008 Beijing Paralympics are now well underway, with over 4,200 athletes from 148 countries taking part in this year's Games.
ParalympicsGB's squad for Beijing comprises a total of 206 athletes across 18 of the 20 Paralympic sports. This will be one of ParalympicsGB’s biggest teams of all time.
Several multi-medallists are returning to the Paralympics to defend titles. Dave Roberts of swimming already has seven golds, Lee Pearson of equestrian has won six golds from two Games and multi-medal-winning ex-swimmer Sarah Storey (nee Bailey) makes her Paralympic cycling debut in Beijing with the aims of adding to her personal medal haul.
Debuts
There are however also several athletes making their Paralympic debuts this summer in Beijing and among the squad of 206 athletes are 27 teenagers.
The youngest selected athlete is swimmer Eleanor Simmonds, who is just 13 years old. The oldest selected athlete is archery’s Fred Stevens, who turns 63 the month following the Paralympics. Both these athletes will make their Games debuts this summer.
The largest British sport squad is athletics with 36 athletes, while fencing will just be represented by one.
Football's return
Britain has not had fielded a football team at the Paralympics since 1992 but this summer will have two teams in contention - one in the seven-a-side competition for athletes with cerebral palsy and the five-a-side competition for footballers who are blind.
Britain's five-a-side team, captained by Ajmal Ahmed (Worcester), includes Andrew Briant (Birmingham), David Clarke (Harpenden), Lee Greatbatch (Worcester), Jonathan Gribbin (Oldham), Simon Hill (Wolverhampton), William Norman (Worcester) and Keryn Seal (Berkley Alford, Worcestershire) as well as sighted goal-keepers Jonathan Pugh (Hereford) and Daniel James (Exeter).
Meanwhile the 12-man squad for the seven-a-side competition for athletes with cerebral palsy is made up of Michael Barker (Liverpool), Matthew Dimbylow (Cheshire), Matthew Ellis (Colchester), Richard Fox (Hemel Hempstead), Keiran Martin (Stirling), Jonathan Paterson (Motherwell), Greame Paterson (Duns), Jordan Raynes (Wythenshawe), Mark Robertson (Penicuk), Leon Taylor (Chaddesdon), Wayne Ward (Manchester) and Michael Wilson (Chelmsford).
Jeff Davis, National Football Development Manager for Disability at the Football Association, who nominated and will manage the team, said: "Both squads have a massive challenge ahead. Great Britain Football has not competed in the Games for some time and has little experience, however I am confident they are well prepared and will be able to perform at the highest level."
The football events at the Games take place at the Olympic Green Hockey Field. The five-a-side tournament gets underway on September 7 and concludes on September 17, while the seven-a-side competition starts on the September 8 with finals scheduled for September 16.
