Interview with Alice Tai ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Channel 4

27 August 2024

We sat down with Alice Tai ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Channel 4

This is your second Paralympic Games, how does it feel to be taking part in another competition? 
I feel like this Paralympics is a bit more special. I should have gone to Tokyo but I had to sit it out and have surgery instead. I’m eight years older than I was in Rio, I feel more confident in the sport and I’m loving it more than ever. I’m excited to go to Paris and enjoy it.

How are you feeling ahead of Paris? How has training been going? 
Training has been going really well and I’m making good progress. I’m swimming well and my times are good. My coach is happy and if he’s happy, I’m happy.

This is the first Paralympics on European soil since 2012, what difference will that make for you and the team? 
The biggest difference is that everybody can jump on the Eurostar to come and watch. I’m not a big fan of long flights so I’m happy to get on the train. Rio was expensive to get to so not as many people came out to support us, but hopefully this summer they can because we’re closer to home.

What do the Paralympics mean to you? 
It’s a whole host of things. There’s the elite sport side of it but the bigger thing is about how it’s breaking down stigmas about disability and it also forms a community – not just at the Paralympic Games but in Paralympic sport in general. When I was younger, I wasn’t super confident about myself or with my disability and I remember walking onto poolside for the first time and seeing that everyone had a disability, and something just clicked with me. The Paralympics for me is giving that opportunity to other people. The more exposure it gets, the more people can find communities of other disabled people and start accepting themselves.

Tell us a little bit about what it’s like being part of ParalympicsGB. What’s it like in the athletes’ village? 
The last time I was in an athletes’ village was in Rio, I was 17 and I was very shy. It was crazy. I always talk about the food hall because I want everyone to experience it. There are so many different cuisines from all around the world and it’s free. It sucks when you’re racing but afterwards it’s amazing. I go crazy.

Aside from your own, which Paralympics events do you look forward to the most? 
When I missed out on Tokyo, I spent so much time watching the Games and it was amazing. My programme in Paris extends the whole duration of the Games so I’m not going to get a chance to watch other sports, but I really wish I could.

Stream and watch live on Channel 4 all day, every day from Wednesday 28th August to Sunday 8th September