Paracanoe handed out its first batch of medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, with Algeria claiming a first-ever medal in the sport and Great Britain striking double gold. 

Here are some of the stand-out quotes from the medalists on day two at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium: 

Brahim Guendouz (Algeria) – "I'm feeling so great. This has been a big opportunity for me to represent my country in this event. It means a lot. It's going to make a big jump because my sport is not that famous in our country, and especially in Africa. This gold medal will make a big jump for good, and a lot of African athletes will have the same opportunity to be in the same place as me." 

Curtis McGrath (Australia) - "It's a great feeling. I am over the moon. I'm just so proud to execute the results and get the gold medal and defend my championship. It's a nice feeling. A lot of work went into it and a lot of people have supported me. I represent Paralympic Australia and Paddle Australia who have supported me a lot. This is also for my family and friends. My wife and child are at home supporting me from Australia. They couldn't make the trip but their names are written on my boat and it's a nice reminder that they're along here in spirit with me.”  

Peter Kiss (Hungary) –  "It was a really great feeling to compete here. I could enjoy this one more than the one in Tokyo. This one is perhaps even more precious because there's so much work behind it, and also because of the (chest) injury I had a few months before this competition. It's always harder to defend the title than to get it for the first time. I dedicate this gold to my family because they support me a lot." 

Emma Wiggs (Great Britain) –  "It's amazing. Every time, it's special to get on to the podium. The competition is so close. It's always an unknown. It's never a guarantee that you're going to get on the podium, so to be there again was fantastic. Every medal is a new, different experience. It's never something to take for granted. It's been a tough few years for me leading into these Games, so I'm pleased and really grateful to everyone that has supported and been part of the journey.” 

Charlotte Henshaw (Great Britain) - "When we heard it (VL3) was going to come into the Games, Hope (Gordon) and I looked at each other and thought, 'let's see if we can', and we did. We've pushed each other so much over these last three or four years. It's thanks to Hope pushing me all the way that I did what I did today. Some days it's Hope that gets the touch, sometimes it's me. I'm immensely proud of her. I've been around Paralympic sport for a long time. I'm grateful to still be part of it and still hitting it out with some youngsters. There's life in the arms yet." 

Hope Gordon (Great Britain) -  "It's been a really hard journey to get here. I've got so many family and friends in the crowd, and they're the people that have been through the tough times with me. I'm so happy they can be here to experience some good times. I could feel Charlotte the whole way. I was praying it was the two of us at the top. We are quite used to racing each other. I really like that - you're in a Paralympic final and it feels like there's familiarity, like you're lining up at Nottingham together." 

Dylan Littlehales (Australia) – "It means a lot to be able to come back off Tokyo, where I missed out by 0.1 of a second in a photo finish, thinking I had third. So, to come back here and win that silver medal - it wasn't the gold we were looking for, but to get something out of these Games feels amazing. Me and Curt (Curtis McGrath) train every day, pushing each other to get to that next level, because we know when you're coming into a Paralympics it's going to hit that next level. You've got to try to be in front of it." 

Brianna Hennessy (Canada) -  "Silver has a good ring to it. I'm so happy. I feel like we've had to overcome so much to get here, especially in the last year and a half. I'm just so proud. This year's the 10-year anniversary of my accident. I should have been dead. I've been fighting back ever since. This is the pinnacle of it all for me and everything I've been fighting for. It made it all worth it. The Paralympics means so much more because everyone here has a million reasons to give up, and we've all chosen to just go on. It's more about the camaraderie.” 

Luis Carlos Cardoso Da Silva (Brazil) -  "I'm very happy to have won this medal. Of course, I would have preferred gold, but my opponent is very strong. I'm going to do my best to get the medal at the next Paralympics, but this is the culmination of a lot of work. I put in a lot of effort to get this medal." 

David Phillipson (Great Britain) - "I can't quite put it into words. My fifth Paralympics (previously, three in wheelchair tennis, one in para canoe), and I finally got my first Paralympic Games medal. It's not sunk in yet and I cannot articulate what this medal means to me. I am going to wear it everywhere. I am not taking it off. I am taking it to my village or when I am going out late. Nope, I am not going to take it off. I didn't know I had crossed before Mykola (Syniuk). I just knew I had crossed the line.” 

Mykola Syniuk (Ukraine) - "It's good. I feel good after the race. This medal is a token of gratitude to my family - my wife Olga and my son - and my country. And to the Ukrainian army for everything they are doing for our country. I did everything I could to do well today. My efforts brought me bronze." 

Remy Boulle (France) –  "Emmanuel Macron has become a very close friend, who means a lot to me and who has really helped me behind the scenes. I have an enormous respect for the president of France. He told me he was very proud of me, that he couldn't come. He was supposed to come, but after just nominating the prime minister (Michel Barnier) he had to see him. I'm very proud: three Paralympiads and two bronze medals. It's 10 years almost to the day, 4 September 2014, when I should have died in an accident and was paralysed." 

Miqueias Elias Rodrigues (Brazil) - "This is my first Paralympic Games. It's an honour, I'm extremely happy to get this medal. For me it's even more than a gold medal, it's the culmination of all the work that I've done to get here to the Paralympics. It's for everyone at home, everyone back in Brazil that helped me get here. All the people that I train with in my club as well, my family who are watching from home. It's for my country." 

Susan Seipel (Australia) - "Bronze is as good as gold for me. I knew it was going to be a really close race. I was happy with it. Feels awesome. I am really proud of myself. I gave it everything I had out there in the water and I am so relieved and happy it paid off. We have a great paddle community. We are friends even though we come from different countries. Our hugs, our tears represent the journey we have all had together. We have come a long way together as athletes, as has paracanoe as a sport. It’s growing so fast, which is so exciting to watch.” 

Yongyuan Zhong (China) - “I am really excited and so proud to win this medal as I challenged myself to do well here. I hope China can do better in Paracanoe as this is our first medal.”