‘So excited to be up there with the big names’ - Portsmouth's Eden Rainbow-Cooper on potential Paralympic glory

Many athletes in Paris will brush off talk of medal hopes but not Rainbow-Cooper, a 23-year-old wheelchair racer at the top of her game.

Her victory in April’s Boston Marathon and a second-place finish in Tokyo in March have installed her as one of the key contenders in the marathon, set to be staged on the streets of the French capital.

“Boston and Tokyo were huge for me. They are two very big races,” said Rainbow-Cooper, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest programme in partnership with Team GB, helping to maximise support and minimise potential distractions for athletes so that they can focus on their performance.

“But the Paralympic marathon is very different. No one has ever done this course before, so we’ll all be on an even playing field. This is the first and only time we’ll get to do it.

“There are five, six, seven girls in the field who could all take the win. And there are so many giants it’s really hard to predict.

“I guess it’s only kicked in recently that I am up there with those big names as one of the favourites. I am so excited to be in that position.”

The marathon route will wind through nine communes of Paris and promises to be quick, taking in iconic landmarks including Montmartre and the Champs-Elysees.

Rainbow-Cooper started out as a sprinter but was unwell during the pandemic.

Doubling down on sporting success, she took part in her first marathon in May 2022. Her breakthrough moment came with silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, a superb performance that helped her earn a place on the National Lottery's coveted World Class Programme.

“After that I thought, ‘I think I am in it now,’” recalled Rainbow-Cooper.

“Then I fell in love with the marathons and now I absolutely adore racing them and being part of such an incredible group of people.

“I am one of the youngest on the marathon scene at the moment. But the more I do, the more I fall in love with it.

“I fell into the marathon more than anything, and I am very grateful for it.”

Rainbow-Cooper was initially inspired by watching wheelchair racing legend David Weir win gold at London 2012.

Now they are team-mates, with the ‘Weirwolf’ still going and also targeting a marathon medal.

“Watching Dave do what he does is so inspiring, especially the success he’s had in the last year,” said Rainbow-Cooper.

“Always when I watch him race now I feel like I am an 11-year-old girl again watching him at (London) 2012.

“He’s such a huge giant in our sport, so I feel blessed to have had that time with him (as her coach).

“It was always a dream to be in the same Paralympic team as him, but I never really knew if it would happen, if I’d make it in time while he’s still racing.

"So, to be here at my first Paralympics with him... is really quite special.”

* Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024.