Shuker – who will be competing at her fifth Games – alongside seven-time Paralympic Wheelchair basketball player Terry Bywater, will lead the British team at the Opening Ceremony which takes place at Place de la Concorde on 28 August.

Shuker first represented ParalympicsGB at Beijing 2008, claiming her first medal four years later when she won women’s doubles bronze alongside Jordanne Whiley at London 2012. The pair went on to win another bronze medal at Rio 2016 before going one better at Tokyo 2020 where they claimed silver.

She will become the second ParalympicsGB wheelchair tennis player to have opening ceremony flagbearer duties after Peter Norfolk at London 2012 when the whole of the wheelchair tennis squad led out the PararalympicGB team.

Norfolk played a key role in Shuker starting her wheelchair tennis journey in the early 2000s. Having been injured in a motorcycle accident shortly after her 21st birthday, Shuker met Norfolk while in rehabilitation at Salisbury Spinal Unit and Norfolk encouraged her to try wheelchair tennis since she had been a Hampshire county badminton player prior to her accident. Norfolk subsequently loaned Shuker her first tennis wheelchair and it was from there that she sparked her journey to success.

Shuker, 44, said: “To have that honour to lead ParalympicsGB out is incredible and something that I never thought I would do. To qualify for my first Paralympics in Beijing was an achievement in itself - but to come to my fifth Paralympics and now be a flagbearer is a real dream come true.

“Leading the parade down the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde is going to be really different – eyes will be on me, but also the rest of ParalympicsGB. We are a big team and to be at the front of that is insane, incredible and an honour. The team is everything, we are all there to represent ParalympicsGB and bring back medals – so we will do it together.”

Penny Briscoe, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission for Paris 2024 said: “I am absolutely delighted to announce Terry and Lucy as our ParalympicsGB flagbearers for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony. Their selection – which was voted for by their teammates – underlines just how much both athletes epitomise the Paralympic values that we as a team are so proud of.

“I have had the pleasure of working closely with both Terry and Lucy since they made their Paralympic debuts and watching them grow both as competitors and as individuals. Their dedication and commitment to their sport, matched with their positive attitudes and enthusiasm to support those around them makes me immensely proud.”