Defending champion Piers Gilliver is one of four highly experienced Wheelchair fencers selected to represent ParalympicsGB at this summer’s Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Gilliver, Dimitri Coutya, Oliver Lam-Watson and Gemma Collis will line up in the French capital having all shown terrific form already this season – including winning eight medals between them at the European Championships earlier this year.
Paris 2024 will be Gilliver’s third Paralympic Games, having won silver at Rio 2016 before going on to claim ParalympicsGB’s first Wheelchair fencing gold medal in 33 years at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games.
Last year the 29-year-old suffered concussion which severely affected his ability to train and compete, but the talented Gloucestershire athlete was back in action at the World Championships in October to successfully defend his global title, adding a further two individual European titles in March this year.
There are three disciplines in Wheelchair fencing, based on the type of sword used – the Foil, the Epeé and the Sabre. In the Foil event, fencers are only permitted to strike the trunk area of the opponent, whereas in the Sabre and Epeé, anywhere above the waist is a valid target area.
“It means so much to be selected for ParalympicsGB once again,” said Gilliver (pictured in training above), who will compete in the Men’s Category A Sabre and Epeé events as well as the team Foil and Epeé competitions.
“This will be my third Games but each time just feels so special. Tokyo 2020 was an amazing Games and went a lot better than I’d expected, but now I also feel like I’ve improved a lot since Tokyo and I want to defend my Epeé title in Paris and also go for gold in the individual Sabre.”
The Paralympic Games will take place from August 28 – September 8. To find out more visit https://paralympics.org.uk/
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