PARALYMPICS LONDON 2012: Great Britain schedule - Saturday September 1st

DRESSAGE rider Lee Pearson bids for the tenth Paralympic Games gold of his career at Greenwich Park on Saturday when Britain’s Paralympians have medal chances in seven sports.

STAR NAME: Lee Pearson has never lost in three previous Paralympic appearances - he is looking for his tenth gold medal today (Getty Images)

Beijing 2008 star swimmer Ellie Simmonds goes for what she hopes will be the first of four golds in the pool while a clutch of medals are on offer in the Velodrome and the Olympic Stadium.

Seven-a-side Football, Sailing and Tennis all make their first appearances of the London 2012 Paralympic Games – with British athletes in action in each.

Medal prospects

Athletics: Richard Whitehead, the world champion and world record holder, competes in the final of the men’s T42 200m at his first summer Paralympic Games. He competed in sledge hockey at the 2006 winter Games in Turin.

Also in the morning session, Gemma Prescott, Maxine Moore and Josie Pearson compete in the F31/32/51 club. Rob Womack goes in the F54/55/56 shot and Claire Williams in the F11/12 discus.

A bunch of sprint events have morning heats and evening finals. Hazel Robson won a brace of bronze medals in 2008 and starts her 2012 campaign with the T36 200m. Olivia Breen competes in the T38 100m. On the field Hollie Arnold has medal chances in the F46 javelin.

Cycling (Track): Tandem rider Anthony Kappes defends his B 1km time trial crown during the morning session, piloted this time by Craig Maclean, an Olympic silver medallist in Sydney. The other British duo, Neil Fachie and pilot Barney Williams, could well be their closest rivals.

Jon-Allan Butterworth looks to add to Friday’s time trial silver with gold in his world champion event, the C5 pursuit, while Jody Cundy aims to put his disappointment in today’s time trial behind him when he goes in the C4 Individual Pursuit.

Thursday’s heroine Sarah Storey takes part in the C4-5 500m time trial, aiming to further boost her bulging gold medal collection.

Equestrian: Pearson is unbeaten in three previous Paralympic Games. He competes in the championship test grade Ib event which will also count towards Britain’s total in the team test.

Natasha Baker seeks her first Paralympic medal when she competes in grade II championship test.

Judo: GB’s team features its second set of brothers in as many days, with Sam Ingram competing in the under-90kg category at ExCeL and older sibling Joe in the Under 100kg event. Sam was the only British judoka to win a medal in Beijing, taking bronze, and he won a European silver in 2011. Marc and Dan Powell were in action on day two.

Powerlifting: Natalie Blake seeks her first Paralympic medal after just missing the podium in the last three Games and at the 2010 World Championships. She goes in the women’s under 52kg at ExCeL, followed by Jason Irving in the men’s under 60kg at his third Paralympic Games.

Shooting: Matt Skelhon defends the title he won in Beijing, the R3 10m Air Rifle Prone (mixed) SH1, after an off-colour day in the standing event on Friday. Nathan Milgate – his friend and room-mate in the Paralympic Village – and eight-time Paralympian Di Coates are among his opponents.

James Bevis has medal hopes in the R5 10m Air Rifle Prone (Mixed) SH2, which will also feature Georgina Callingham and Ryan Cockbill.

Swimming: Four years after making a splash in the pool as a 13-year-old, Simmonds makes her first appearance of the 2012 Games in the S6 400m Freestyle, one of two events she won in 2008 and one of four she is looking for this time. Team-mate Natalie Jones will race alongside her if both make it through morning heats at the Aquatics Centre.

Claire Cashmore aims to improve on bronze in the SB8 100m breaststroke and Rhiannon Henry makes a dash for glory in the S13 50m Freestyle.

In the men’s events, Sascha Kindred seeks to retain his SB7 100m Breaststroke title following his wife, Nyree’s silver on Thursday. Victory would extend his career gold haul to seven and medal tally to 12 at his fifth Games. Thomas Young goes in the SB8 equivalent event.

Matt Whorwood swims in the S6 400m Freestyle, in which he won bronze four years ago. Anthony Stephens took bronze in the S5 200m freestyle in Beijing and he looks for another medal in that event, as does Rob Welbourn in S10 100m butterfly, racing fellow Briton Graham Edmunds and James Hollis.

James’s sister Emma Hollis goes in the women’s SB7 100m breaststroke. Sam Hynd and James Crisp compete in the SB8 100m breaststroke, while newcomer Gemma Almond goes in the women’s S10 100m butterfly.

Other British teams and athletes in action

Archery: John Cavanagh, who won silver in 2008, is back in action in the men’s Compound W1 quarter-finals. He faces old foe Jeff Fabry of the USA. Paul Browne, Leigh Walmsley and Murray Elliot are also in action in the Archery at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Athletics: Stef Reid, whose photo features on a huge banner next to that of Usain Bolt in the Westfield shopping centre next to Olympic Park, races in round one the T44 100m, along with Sophie Kamlish. Libby Clegg goes in the opening heats of the T12 100m. Tracey Hinton races in round one of the women’s T11 200m.

Football 7-a-side: GB begin their 2012 campaign seeking to improve on seventh place in Beijing with a tough first match against Brazil at 16:15. GB’s only medal was bronze in 1984. The side includes former Everton Academy player Michael Barker, leading scorer at the 2011 World Championships.

Goalball: GB’s men take on Sweden at 10:15 at the Copper Box in one of nine preliminary matches. It’s the team’s third contest of the Games with pool games against Finland on Sunday and Brazil on Tuesday to follow.

Rowing: Samantha Scowen and former soldier Nick Beighton will be aiming for a top two spot in the mixed double Scull repechage at Eton Dorney to book a place in Sunday’s final. They missed out on securing a direct qualification from Friday’s heats.

Sailing: Britain’s three-boat fleet compete in the first two races for each category in Weymouth and Portland, beginning the campaign to win GB’s first Sailing medals since the sport was introduced to the Paralympics 12 years ago.

The squad features Helena Lucas (2.4mR), Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell (SKUD 18), as well as the Sonar crew of John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas, who are in their third Games together.

Sitting Volleyball: Britain’s women go up against the Netherlands at 16:00 at ExCeL. They went down to Ukraine in their opening contest today.

Table Tennis: Will Bayley, Paul Davies, Rob Davies and Paul Karabardak are in action for Britain in the qualification matches on the third day of Table Tennis at the ExCeL as the Singles reach the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Wheelchair Basketball: After two games at North Greenwich Arena, GB’s women move to the Olympic Park for their third preliminary match against Brazil, who finished four places below them in tenth spot at the 2010 World Championships.

Great Britain’s men are also in Greenwich to face Colombia at 7pm in their third group match. Both GB teams are still looking for their first wins of the Games.

Wheelchair Tennis: Wheelchair Tennis gets underway at Eton Manor with Marc McCarroll, Gordon Reid, Lucy Shuker, Alexander Jewitt, Dave Phillipson, Jordanne Whiley and Louise Hunt are all set to play.

Read more about ParalympicsGB performances at London 2012 at www.paralympics.org.uk/gb

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