West Midlands Paralympic Athlete Profiles
AS the most watched ever paralympics gets underway in London, here is a list of athletes from the West Midlands who are getting ready to compete.
Scroll down to see pictures of ten of our best hopes.
Thursday 30th August:
Archery: Mel Clarke, from Worcester starts competition. The final of her event is on the September 4th. She won bronze in Beijing and was world champion in 2005.
Dressage Grade 1b Team: Lee Pearson CBE. Trains in Staffordshire. He already holds 9 Paralympic Gold Medals. Final between the 2nd and 4th of September.
Goalball: Jessica Luke from Stafford. Jessica took up the sport cause it's a rare team sport for visually impaired athletes. She says she had been virtually removed from PE lessons at school. She was part of the gold medal winning team at the European Championships in 2009.
Cycling: Tandem Pilot Helen Scott from Halesowen says she was inspired to take up the sport by Sir Chris Hoy. She pilots Aileen McGlynn who is visually impaired and is known as a 'stoker.' They won a silver medal at the 2012 world championships and compete between the 30th of August and 3rd of September.
Table Tennis: Victoria Bromley from Wolverhampton started playing table tennis at the age of 10. This is her first paralympic games.
Friday August 31st
Rowing: Nick Beighton from Shrewsbury goes in the mixed double sculls at Eton Dorney. Nick is a serving captain in the British Army with the Royal Engineers. He was injured in Afghanistan in 2009 and had to learn to walk again on prosthetic legs.
Cycling: Jon-Allen Butterworth from Sutton Coldfield served in Afghanistan in 2005 and Iraq in 2007 as a RAF weapons technician. He lost his left arm in a rocket attack in Basra in August 2007. He starts competition in the 1km time trial C5.
Five-a-side Blind Football: Will Norman from Worcester starts competition with Team Gb. Unlike the football crowds we are used to, spectators have to stay silent during the game so players can hear the bell inside the ball. The final will be held on the 8th of September.
LTA Mixed Coxed Four Rowing (Visual Impairment): James Roe from Stratford Upon Avon is part of the team that were world champions in 2011. The finals will be held on September 2nd.
Athletics T35 100m (Cerebal Palsy): Sam Ruddock from Rugby gets underway in the 100m heats. He only competed in his first major race back in April. Can he make the final on September 1st?
Saturday September 1st
Swimming: Ellie Simmonds from Walsall starts her quest to win 4 Paralympic Gold Medals. She won the 100m and 400m in Beijing. On the 1st she begins with the Heats and Final of the 400m freestyle S6.
Athletics T35 100m (Cerebal Palsy): If he gets through the heats, Rugby's Sam Ruddock could be in 100m final action.
Wheelchair Tennis: Jordanne Whiley from Birmingham was a runner up in the doubles at Wimbledon this year with her partner Lucy Shuker. She'll be looking do beat her Beijing quarter final appearance and make the final on September 7th.
Sunday September 2nd
Shooting Air Rifle Standing R!-10m-SH2: Ryan Cockbill from Birmingham is competing in his first paralympics having entered international competitions for the first time in 2010. He'll be up against fellow Brummie Richard Davies.
Table Tennis: Has Wolverhampton's Victoria Bromley made the final?
Boccia BC1-2 Team: Nigel Murray from Leamington Spa is competing at his 4th games having already won 2 golds and one silver. He's currently ranked nuymber one in the world and will be hoping to be in the final on September 4th. Find out more at Boccia by clicking here.
September 3rd
Swimming: more action for Ellie Simmonds from Walsall. Today it's the Heats and finals of the 200m freestyle S6.
Tuesday 4th Spetember
Swimming: Ellie Simmonds goes in event number 3 with the heats and finals of 50m freestyle S6.
Boccia BC1-2 Team: Have Nigel Murray and team GB made the final?
Wednesday 5th September
Wheelchair Rugby: Mandip Sehmi from Leamington Spa sustained a spinal chord injury in a car crash in 2000. He was part of the British Wheelchair Rugby Team that came 4th in Beijing, and will be hoping for a medal this time round. Wheelchair Rugby was one of the first sports to sell out when tickets went on sale. The finals are on September 8th.
Boccia BC1 Individual: After the team competition it's time for world number 1 Nigel Murray from Leamington Spa to go for gold in the individual event.
Thursday 6th September
Athletics T35 200m (cerebal Palsy): With the 100m competition done and dusted, Rugby's Sam Ruddock competes in the 200m.
Friday 7th September
Wheelchair Tennis: Jordanne Whiley from Birmingham is hoping to be in the Wheelchair Tennis Gold Medal Match.
Goalball: Jessica Luke and Team GB are hoping to be in contention for gold in the final match.
Boccia BC1 Individual: The final, with Leamington Spa's Nigel Murray expected to be going for gold.
Wheelchair Rugby: Can Team GB and Leamington Spa's Mandip Sehmi do better than Beijing and come away with a medal each?
September 8th
Swimming: After a few days rest, Ellie Simmonds from Walsall is back in action. The 100m Freestyle S6 Heats and Final are her final events.