I'm A Paralympic Athlete, This Is What You Have Been Getting Wrong About The Paralympics

If you’re still feeling the buzz from the Paris Olympics this summer, we have fantastic news for you: The Paralympic Games Paris will be held from 28 August to 8 September 2024, with over 11 days of competition.

That’s right, 11 more days of watching world athletes compete in a range of sporting competitions back on our screens as soon as next week.

Additionally, just before they kick off, a new documentary Path to Paris: Paralympic Dreams airs on Sunday 25th August at 16:55pm on Channel 4.

The documentary follows five British athletes as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and offers a unique insight into how National Lottery players support them on their journey.

National Lottery players have transformed Athletics in the UK, with more than £300 million invested since National Lottery funding began. They support our elite athletes to win medals on the world stage and have invested in clubs, facilities and programmes across the country to enable more people to take part in the sport.

HuffPost UK spoke exclusively with Stef Reid, a British Paralympic long jumper and sprinter. Stef is a World Champion, four-time Paralympian, triple Paralympic medallist, and five-time world record holder.

At age 16, Stef was involved in a boating accident and suffered severe propeller lacerations. Her life was saved but her right foot was damaged beyond repair and amputated.

We spoke with her about the challenges and joys of being a Paralympic athlete, and what we can look forward to from the upcoming documentary.

The empowering reality of being a paralympic athlete

How do you feel that your disability does and does not hold you back in competing?

Stef Reid: I don’t ever feel like it’s held me back. I feel that it’s provided