Tokyo Paralympics: Two Merseyside athletes in action early Thursday morning - how to watch

Paralympic champion cyclist Lora Fachie and table tennis medal-hopeful Jack Hunter-Spivey are the first of seven Merseyside athletes in action at the games.
Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall of Great Britain competes in the Women’s B Individual Pursuit Finals. Photo: Alexandre Loureiro/Getty ImagesLora Fachie and Corrine Hall of Great Britain competes in the Women’s B Individual Pursuit Finals. Photo: Alexandre Loureiro/Getty Images
Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall of Great Britain competes in the Women’s B Individual Pursuit Finals. Photo: Alexandre Loureiro/Getty Images

Great Britain claimed six medals on Day One of the Tokyo Paralympics with Sarah Storey scooping the nation’s first gold of the games.

The 43-year-old cyclist beat her own world record during the qualifying rounds of the C5 3,000m Individual Pursuit on the way to winning her 15th Paralympic gold.

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Storey is now just one behind Mike Kenny’s British record of 16 golds.

Paralympic champion cyclist Lora Fachie and table tennis medal-hopeful Jack Hunter-Spivey are the first of seven Merseyside athletes in action at the games.

When and where do they compete?

Both compete on Day Two of the Paralympics with Hunter-Spivey playing his opening game at 01.40 BST on Thursday morning at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gym and Fachie going in the Women’s B 1000m Time Trial in the Izu Velodrome 20 minutes later.

Liverpool-born Fachie, who won gold in the 3km Individual Pursuit at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, will also compete in the Women’s B Road Race and Time Trial later on in Tokyo.

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The visually impaired four-time world champion competes in the tandem events with pilot Corinne Hall.

Hunter-Spivey, who grew up in Anfield and started playing table tennis at a nearby youth club, will play two group matches on Thursday. The first against Ming Chih Cheng of Taipei, with the second scheduled for 08.30 BST is against Belgium’s Bart Brands.

The 26-year-old Liverpudlian was born with cerebral palsy and after competing at Rio 2016 he will continue pursuing his dream of winning an Olympic table tennis medal in the Men’s Class 5 Singles.

How can I watch it?

Channel 4 will broadcast live overnight coverage of the Paralympics from 00.00 to 07.00, followed by Paralympics Breakfast from 07.30 to 09.00 and more live sport from 09.00 to 14.10.

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With a Tokyo Today highlights show from 17.00 to 18.00. Click here for the full schedule.

Other Merseyside athletes competing in Tokyo:

David Devine. The middle-distance runner is in action in the Men’s 5000 metre T13 Final on Saturday, August 28.

Daniel Powell. The son of a two-time Paralympic bronze medallist will first compete in the Men’s - 81kg Judo elimination rounds on Saturday, August 28.

Nathan Maguire. The European Champion will compete in the Men’s 400m - T54 wheelchair race on Sunday, August 29, and the Men’s 800m - T54 event on Thursday, September 2.

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Beth Munro. The Liverpool John Moores graduate takes part in the Taekwondo and is in action in the Women K44 - 58kg rounds on Friday, September 3.

Isaac Towers. The wheelchair racer begins his Olympic medal bid on Friday, September 3, in the Men’s 800m - T34 event.

Lora Fachie will also compete in cycling’s road Time Trial on Tuesday, August 31, and the Road Race on Friday, September 3.

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