by Nine-time Paralympic gold medallist Hannah Cockroft says she is “far from done” after further success at the Paris 2024 Games.
Cockroft finished ahead of team-mate Kare Adenegan in the T34 800 metres final to claim her second gold title in Paris, following an earlier success in the T34 100 metres, taking her career total to nine.
The 32-year-old’s victory means she has finished on the top step of the 100m and 800m podium at every Paralympic Games since London 2012.
Even though the Paralympics have just ended, she already has her eyes set on Los Angeles.
Speaking at the National Lottery’s return to the Paralympics in Birmingham, she told the PA news agency: “The feeling of gold medals will never get old.
“Nine of them, if you had told me 20 years ago that this is what I would have accomplished, I would never have believed it, but I am far from finished.
“I definitely want to try to get double digits. I feel like I have a lot to learn, I have so much to improve on, so I definitely have more to give.”
Cockroft came out ahead of the chasing pack to help Team GB claim a total of 20 medals on the final Saturday of the Games.
She did so in stunning fashion, taking victory in one minute and 55.44 seconds, eight seconds ahead of Adenegan in second for a British double.
Cockroft was delighted with ParalympicsGB’s efforts in Paris.
She added: “It makes me so proud to be a member of Team GB, we are the best team and a power to be reckoned with.
“We went out there and showed everyone how good we were, we put in some incredible performances. It’s so rewarding to hear the celebrations from the teammates around you before your race, it pushes you to keep going, like you want to feel that feeling.
“Paris was absolutely amazing and everything I hoped for and more.
“I think there was a lot of worry before the Games about whether we would sell tickets or whether people would come to see us, but to have had that was incredible and made the gold medals even more special.
“Especially that night, on Saturday night, walking into a stadium in front of 70,000 people – a full stadium – that’s what you dream of when you’re a little girl.”
Cockroft will complete her celebrations when she marries fellow Team GB Paralympian Nathan Maguire.
She said: “We’re getting married in three weeks, so it’s kind of our distraction at the moment, maybe while we’re partying.
“It will also be a great celebration. This year has been full of events: world championships, Paralympic Games and a wedding.
“If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be to not have a wedding during a Paralympic year.
“It’s a race against time at the moment, but I think we have the upper hand and it will be worth it.”
