Deaflympics: Britain wins 12 medals in Tokyo

Charlotte Gower won three gold medals as Great Britain claimed 12 at the Deaflympics in Tokyo.

Gaur (15 years old) won the 200-meter individual medley, the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke among seven medals in the Japanese capital, which also included a silver in the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay.

Her British colleague Katie Won also won several medals in pool, including gold medals in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle races.

Away from the water, the British women’s soccer team won the bronze medal by defeating Australia 2-0.

Deaflympics is an international multi-sport event for deaf athletes held every four years.

Britain did not send a delegation to compete in the last edition of the Deaflympics in 2022 after it was rearranged due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Team 2026 was asked to raise £4,000 each to fund the £500,000 cost of sending 100 athletes and support staff to Tokyo.

Unlike Olympic and Paralympic sport, the government does not directly fund athletes competing in the Deaflympics through UK Sport.

Sport England is currently providing £1.27 million in funding for deaf sport in the UK until 2027, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said.