By Laurie Finlayson

ParalympicsGB tasted success in Paris, achieving 124 medals, including 49 golds, matching their tally from 2020’s Tokyo games. The global festival of para-sport received widespread coverage from Channel 4 and the BBC, raising awareness of disability sport amongst people who perhaps would not have tuned in previously.

Freelance sportswriter and broadcaster Michael McEwan has always been a strong advocate for disability sport. On the legacy of the Paris Paralympics, he said: “I think it’ll go down in history as this was the Paralympics where the fans came back as in Tokyo, no one was there to see them.”

One of Scotland’s biggest success stories was that of Stephen McGuire, who won gold – his first Paralympic medal. The 40-year-old from Hamilton was a late call-up to GB’s squad, having been recovering from a leg break sustained in 2022. The medalist said that it took him “about 18 months to prove to myself that I could be competitive again”, but he has certainly did his country proud and inspired many others in the process. Boccia, for those who don’t know, is a target sport played indoors with soft leather balls with no Olympic equivalent. It can be seen as being closest to lawn bowls.

McEwan said that he attended the same school as McGuire, and apprecies the journey that he’s been on, he added: “I think that was his fourth or fifth attempt at at winning something at the Paralympics.”

Also, in Boccia, there was a first-time representative from Ayrshire. Kayleigh Haggo, is a relative newcomer to the sport, having previously competed and broken records in the sport of frame running (previously known as RaceRunning), but it is not a Paralympic sport.

ParalympicsGB’s success can hopefully inspire other disabled people to try their hand at sports. Sooner rather than later, it could be you!