Robyn Love from Scotland and her partner Laurie Williams, hailing from Manchester, are both part of the 12-strong ParalympicsGB wheelchair basketball squad, with Williams aiming to compete on para-sport's biggest stage just a year after giving birth to their daughter Alba.
Williams' return to action in the summer of 2023 has been nothing short of remarkable, defying the notion that motherhood must signal the end of an athletic career. Love, a member of UK Sport's National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, believes her partner could be the key to ParalympicsGB achieving their first-ever wheelchair basketball medal at the Paris 2024 Games.
"A lot of people say they couldn't imagine working with their partner all the time," said Love, highlighting the benefits of the World Class Programme which provides full-time training, access to top coaches and cutting-edge medical support. "We're together 24/7, and honestly, I don't think I'd be as good a player without her, and I think she'd say the same."
Love is full of praise for Williams' incredible comeback. "Since she came back from having a baby, she's the best player she's ever been," she said. "It's incredible, women are just amazing. I can't believe what she's done. I say to people that she's done all the hard work. Honestly, I don't know how she had a baby, then four months later, came back, competed in the European Championships and now she's in the best shape of her life, playing the best basketball of her life. I'm just in absolute awe."
Love acknowledges the incredible effort Williams has put in to reach her fourth Paralympic Games. "If anything, she deserves a medal put around her neck for all the hard work she's put in, both before and after the baby. All the girls do," she added.
The prospect of competing alongside her teammates in Paris excites Love. "To get out onto the court with my 11 teammates will be incredible, and if we get on that podium, wow."
Love and Williams first competed together at Rio 2016, where they helped ParalympicsGB reach their first-ever bronze medal final. Although they narrowly missed out on a medal to the Netherlands, they secured Great Britain's highest Paralympic placing in the sport to date, finishing fourth.
Since Rio, the women's team has made significant strides, medalling at various World and European Championships. Love feels more prepared than ever for this summer's Games and is confident that Britain can finally break their Paralympic medal drought in the French capital.
"Rio was fantastic," she recalled. "We didn't think we were going to achieve that, reaching the semi-final was our ultimate goal. Since then, we've just built from strength to strength â world silver medalists in 2018, back-to-back-to-back European silver medals."
Despite some challenges along the way, Love believes the team is at its peak. "I really do think that we have reached the pinnacle now for us as a squad, the coaching staff, the programme, the team behind the team, the girls on the floor," she said. "I really feel like we are the best we've ever been and I'm super excited to play some good basketball. If that means a medal, yes please and thank you. I'll have one."
The National Lottery raises over £30 million a week for Good Causes, including vital funding for elite and grassroots sport. This enables Olympic and Paralympic athletes to live their dreams and make the nation proud, while also providing more opportunities for people to participate in sport. To find out more, visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk.