Congratulations to our Paralympic heroes!
As the Paralympic Games in Rio end, we celebrate the athletes with MS who’ve been competing.
Stephanie Millward, swimming
This was Stephanie’s third appearance at a Paralympic games. She competed in Beijing and won five medals in London in 2012.
This time round, Stephanie won a much awaited gold medal in the S8 100m backstroke, setting a Paralympic record time. She won four other medals at the games: a second gold when she anchored the 4x100m relay team, a silver in the S8 200m individual medley and bronzes in the 100m and 400m freestyle.
She said: "Three Paralympic Games, 18 years of multiple sclerosis and here I am with that gold medal I've been striving for so long.
"I wrote a poem ages ago called 'MS My War'. It said about how we have to keep on striving for winning the war and I think that that swim has just won that war.
"Hopefully I'm an inspiration for anyone with multiple sclerosis, anyone with a chronic illness.”
Kadeena Cox, cycling and athletics
Kadeena is the first British Paralympian since 1984 to win gold medals in two separate sports in the same Games.
The 25-year-old, who was only diagnosed with MS two years ago, took gold in the C4/C5 500 metres time-trial in the velodrome and the T38 400m on the running track. She set world records in both events.
Kadeena also won a silver and a bronze and finished off an amazing games with the honour of being the flagbearer for the closing ceremony.
She said:
"To be here and to have won medals and to do it in the fashion that I've done it is just amazing. When I first set out the journey was just about me and just a girl that wanted to go to the Paralympics. And then it became the journey of wanting to win medals, but not for me, for other people. Giving other people someone to look at, someone that can empower them who has overcome setbacks, disabilities, illnesses.”
David Phillips, archery
David started archery when he was 12. In 2013, aged 50, he returned to the sport after watching it at the London 2012 Games. David finished fifth as part of the Mixed Team Recurve and ninth in his individual event, the Men’s Individual Recurve.
Rio was his first ever Paralympics and he’s now got his sights set on Tokyo in 2020.
Congratulations
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of the MS Society, said:
“We have felt so proud and inspired watching all of the Para athletes compete, but of course, a special mention goes to those competing with MS. Your achievements are nothing short of amazing and we are delighted for you.”
