Zak Skinner is searching for a different kind of consistency after a second consecutive fourth-place finish in the men’s T13 long jump at a Paralympic Games.

The 25-year-old from Sevenoaks produced a jump of 6.83m to just miss out on the podium at Paris 2024.

Skinner finished in the exact same position as he did in Tokyo three years ago as Azerbaijan’s Orkhan Aslanov defended his crown.

“It sucks, I have been here before, I did it in Tokyo so at least I am consistent,” said Skinner, who is one of more than 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support - which has been vital on their pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.

“It hurts but I got beaten today and that is fine,” he added.

“Those boys were better than me and I wasn’t able to respond. I couldn’t produce anything better, I left everything out there, did everything that was needed of me and that is fine.

“It wasn’t a surprise that the medallists jumped 7.20-plus, I didn’t expect bronze to be so high but I expected those distances and I had prepared for that.

“I knew it was going to be 7.30ish for gold and I did everything I could do. I wanted to win, I think I am capable of jumping that, I still do, I haven’t been able to produce it yet.

“I would have expected to at least be walking away with a medal so to not be walking away with a medal is definitely below my expectations.”

Skinner’s best jump came in his first attempt at the Stade de France, with three fouls among his six attempts.

The Aston Moore-coached athlete has entered the competition as the world bronze medallist from last year but was not able to replicate that performance.

Skinner also competed in the men’s 100m final, finishing sixth to improve on his Tokyo performance in that event.

He added: “I think it is consistency, that is the key to the sport.

“If you speak to most Olympic champions, they will often say they have had a really good year because it is the first year they have been consistent the whole time.

“And having uninterrupted training is what makes you good. That’s how this sport works, it is consistency at this high level, once I get that I am sure I will be better.

“The season has been anti-climactic, I set it up to be a really good champs, put myself in the best physical shape I have ever been in and sadly both my events didn’t show it.

“Anti-climactic is how I would sum it up. I think these Games have been about lessons learnt, I have learnt my lessons from both events and hopefully I carry it forward with me into the next time.”

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