A PARALYMPIAN competing this week in Paris won bronze this time three years ago.

Hannah Taunton, 33, is from Taunton and has been running since her teens.

Back in 2021, Hannah ran a personal best time of 4:35.34 for the event in what were challenging, wet conditions in Tokyo.

Poland’s Barbara Bieganowska-Zajac won the event in a time of 4:27.84, which was her third gold in successive games for that Paralympics event.

Second place went to Liudmyla Danylina from Ukraine, who was five seconds off the pace.

Speaking after the event, Hannah said: "I would like to thank Taunton Athletics Club and my coach Charlotte, Running Forever Running Club, Longrun Meadow Parkrun and other local parkruns for their support.”

Hannah took up running in secondary school where her running ability was spotted by her PE teacher who suggested she join her local athletics club.

Hannah did herself proud last time out at the Paralympics, as her friends and family met her with a standing ovation when she returned to Taunton.

She previously told the Gazette that she was “excited and nervous, but very proud to be representing GB at the Tokyo Paralympics”.

With Team GB picking up many medals so far in Paris, the team currently sit in second in the medals table behind China.

Great Britain celebrated their most successful day at a Paralympic Games this century with 12 gold medals on a record-breaking Sunday on September 1 at Paris 2024.

Well known in the athletics community in Taunton, the athlete has a condition that affects her speech and language; however, she regularly competes against athletes who have no intellectual impairment.

Hannah will be competing on Friday, September 6 alongside strong competition in the T20 1500m.