Paris 2024 Flash Quotes: Wheelchair Rugby

Comments from ParalympicsGB wheelchair rugby players following this morning’s session.

Defending champions ParalympicsGB won 58-55 against world champions Australia in the opening game of the pool stage.

Gavin Walker

Sport: Wheelchair Rugby

Age: 40

Hometown: Rotherham

On the result:

“I think it is one of the better GB performances we’ve had in recent history. With the changes we have had to make, the developments we have made since Tokyo, it has been like a ground-up process. It takes time to when you are bringing new athletes into the squad and you lose such influential athletes like Jim Roberts and Chris Ryan. We are very impressed with our performance but we feel as though that is how GB play now, something that we are starting to build confidence in.”

On coming in as defending champions:

“The team is nothing like it was back then and a certain amount of pressure comes with being defending champions. But we weren’t naive to think that having gone through such a tough time in rebuilding the team. Saying that the confidence is really high and the performance showed that and a lot of composure.”

On the approach to the game against the world champions:

“We don’t like to go into games too confident or over-confident, just with the mindset that each game is almost a final, just take each game as it comes and games aren’t won in lost in the first quarter, games can change quickly as it did against Australia in that game. It only takes one or two mistakes and it can go horribly wrong so we kept our composure really well.”

Tyler Walker

Sport: Wheelchair Rugby

Age: 21

Hometown: Gloucester

On expectations for the team at Paris 2024:

“At the end of the day we are defending gold medallists but we take every game as it comes, we have just played Australia, brilliant, now we move on to the next and we play Denmark tomorrow, so we know what we can do as a team and what we have got and what we can produce so tomorrow we go in fresh, new game, new opposition and we take it from there.”

On being part of his first game:

“It is amazing, the whole experience, leading up to the game, the preparation, the crowds, it was a surreal experience and one I will remember forever.

“Obviously we don’t play in front of crowds normally, or at least not as big as what we had today. We use it as energy, knowing we had fans supporting us, it is important to hear them cheering your name, singing GB, it just helps fire the whole team up and gives everyone that extra level.”

On joining the defending champions and his role on the bench:

“Watching what the team did out in Tokyo and how they succeeded and won a medal and now to be part of that and be having this experience is just amazing and I am just taking everything in and enjoying it.

“The way we look at it and the way we prepare, everyone has got a role on the team. We have 12 players and every player plays their part whether they are on or off the court. We’ve got things we shout from the bench to help players on court and we make noise to boost them on and from a bench perspective, you might not get onto the court but you still have a role to play, so what you’ve seen today, every player on the bench is shouting the same and enjoying being here.

“If I get out on court then absolutely amazing but I want to do what is best for the team and put the team out there that is going to go out there and get us the gold medal and if that is me on court or me on the bench, I'll play my part no matter what and just enjoy being here.

“I am ready to go whenever I am needed. Whenever the moment the coaches need me, I am ready to go.”