The Sussex Paralympians going for gold this summer

ParalympicsGB has already secured gold at the games in Paris, and athletes from East and West Sussex are hoping to add to the country's tally.

Jodie Grinham, Fabienne André, Will Bayley, Bly Twomey, Finley Jakes and David Weir will be flying the flag for Sussex in France.

The Paralympics opening ceremony took place on Wednesday and the games will run until 8 September.

ParalympicsGB finished second in the medal table in Tokyo at the last games, with 41 golds.

Crawley's Jodie Grinham is representing the country again in archery this summer after winning silver in Rio.

She will take part in both the women's and mixed team competitions.

The 31-year-old is part of the Adur Valley Archers and first took up the sport at the age of 15 at Crawley Archery Club.

In the women's ranking round on Thursday she recorded a personal best of 693, and also advanced to the quarter-finals from the qualifying round in the mixed category.

She will take part in the knock-outs on Saturday and Monday.

Fabienne André, from Brighton, will compete in the wheelchair 100m and 800m in the T34 category.

The 27-year-old has also represented Great Britain in para swimming in the past and took up para athletics to try something new.

She won two golds at the 2021 World Para Athletics European Championships.

André will compete on Saturday and Sunday.

Despite being born in Kent, Will Bayley represents Brighton Table Tennis Club as he lives nearby.

He is competing in the men's singles in the MS7 category, and in the men's doubles in the MD14 category.

The table tennis player was a Paralympic champion in Rio in 2016 and has been a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

He won his doubles match on Thursday and will now compete against France on Friday - with the potential semi-final and final on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

His singles match is on 6 September, with the final the same day.

Brighton's 14-year-old Bly Twomey won a table tennis bronze on Thursday in the women's doubles in the WD14 category.

The teenager only took up the sport in 2021 and is coached by Will Bayley.

The Brighton Table Tennis Club star lost in the quarter-finals of the XD17 mixed competition on Friday.

Despite this, she is hoping to secure another medal on Thursday in the WS7 singles.

Finley Jakes, from Eastbourne, is a triathlete who will make his Paralympic debut at Paris 2024

The three-time British champion had switched to the triathlon from para athletics.

In his nine events heading into the Paralympics he secured seven podium finishes.

The 24-year-old will be competing for a medal on Sunday.

David Weir from St Leonards is taking part in the wheelchair 1,500m, 5,000m and marathon race all in the T54 category.

Paralympics GB describes the six-time Paralympian as "one of the most successful and celebrated para athletes in the history of the sport".

The 45-year-old has won 10 Paralympic medals - including six golds.

He will compete on Friday, Monday and 8 September. He could also be aiming for a medal in a final on Saturday and Tuesday if he qualifies.

Although she is representing Ireland, Crawley's Katie-George Dunlevy is also competing at the games.

The track and road cyclist is taking part in the 1,000m time trial, 3,000m individual pursuit, the individual time trial and the road race - all in the women's B category.

She won two golds in Tokyo and one in Rio.

The 42-year-old will compete on Friday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday.

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