A total of 7.2 million viewers tuned into Channel 4 on the first day of the Paris 2024 Paralympics to witness teenage Cheshire swimmer Poppy Maskill and Manchester Metropolitan University student Tully Kearney secure Team GB’s first gold medals.
Poppy Maskill, making her games debut, clinched gold in the women’s S14 100m butterfly, setting a new World Record in the process. Tully Kearney followed by winning gold in the women’s 200m freestyle S5 final, captivating a peak audience of 1.6 million during the three-hour prime time slot watched by an average of 1.2 million viewers.
The event was also popular among younger viewers, with the 16-34 age group constituting more than 20% of the total audience. Maskill, now 19, had declared her Paralympic ambitions to her coach at Centurions swimming club in Northwich, Cheshire, at the age of 11.
Kearney, currently a master’s degree student in human physiology at Manchester Met, also competes for the institution’s college team. Having previously graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in physiology, she is an active Patron of Dystonia UK, working to raise awareness of this rare progressive neurological movement disorder.
The broadcast’s reach across all channels over the day totalled 7.2 million, showcasing the substantial interest in the Paralympics on its opening day.
The early successes of Maskill and Kearney have set an encouraging tone for Team GB in the Paris 2024 Paralympics, attracting significant viewership and highlighting the athletes’ dedication and inspirational journeys.
