It wouldn’t be the eve of the Paralympic Games if Hannah Cockroft wasn’t firing a warning to her rivals, and as sure as she is when winning gold medals on the track, the Hurricane is true to form in the build-up.

“I’m still getting quicker, I’m still getting stronger,” roared the 32-year-old wheelchair sensation from Halifax who has won seven gold medals in the three Paralympics dating back to London.

“I 100 per cent think I’m the one to beat, in the least big-headed way. I am number one in the world.”

It’s a proclamation that is backed up with hard evidence. She has never lost a race at a Paralympics. She has 16 world titles to her name.

Catch me if you can: Hannah Cockroft celebrates winning a 16th world title in Japan earlier this year. In Paris over the coming days she looks to add even more golden glory. Paul Miller/Getty Images)

In Paris she will look to add further Paralympic gold medals in the T34 100m wheelchair on Sunday night and then the T34 800m the following Saturday on the penultimate day of the Games.

In between that, she could contest the universal mixed 4x100m relay the day before the 800m.

Yet, given her sustained supremacy, she knows there is huge pressure on her shoulders.

“It’s scary; I am so hyper aware of the fact the target’s on my back,” she said.

No 1L Great Britain's Kadeena Cox celebrates winning the women's C4 para-cycling Time Trial Finals at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome during the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on August 6, 2023. (Picture: Getty Images)

“But that’s what keeps me going. I’m never satisfied, I’m never happy with any race that’s not a fast time.

“I’m always asking questions and I think the minute you stop and are satisfied with the performance you’ve laid down it’s probably the day I’m going to have to retire.”

Emerging Chinese athlete Hanyu Lan finished runner-up to Cockroft in both the 100m and 800m at the recent world championships.

Panpan Liu, also of China, and Japan’s Moe Onodera are among the Briton’s other challengers, in addition to compatriots Kare Adenegan and Fabienne Andre.

Todmorden's Megan Shackleton won a bronze with Barnsley Sue Bailey in Tokyo. Shackleton, 25, is back for more in Paris (Picture: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

“I’m well aware that at the world championships there were a few young girls and they were really good and I’m going to have some tough competition in the next Paralympic cycle,” said Cockroft.

“And that’s all I’m thinking about all the time. I want to stay on top. I’ve got to work hard now and lay down the groundwork to hopefully carry me through the future years.”

Which brings us onto the question she finds herself repeatedly getting asked - will this be her last Paralympics? In yet another warning to rivals who are probably wishing she would give them a chance, it’s looking like a ‘no’.

“I feel like I’m going to have a lot of decisions to make next cycle but I’d like to make it to LA,” she said. “I’d like to see how many more Games are in me.

“I’m still getting quicker, I’m still getting stronger, everything’s still going in the right direction, so there’s no reason for me to step out now. There’s not a single thought in my head that this could be the last – unless something goes terribly wrong.”

Cockroft is one of 13 athletes from Yorkshire heading to the Paralympics, which begin on Wednesday. As well as Cockroft, the White Rose sends a number of former medallists to Paris.

Kadeena Cox of Leeds is back for another crack at Paralympic glory. One of the more high-profile athletes, Cox won a medal of every colour in para-athletics in Rio but is now focused purely on cycling on both the track and the road, which will keep her occupied through the championships.

Also in track cycling, Steve Bate is back for more at the ripe old age of 47. Born in New Zealand but now living in Hebden Bridge, he has four medals from the last two Games, riding in tandem with his pilot Adam Duggleby of Beverley.

Lottie McGuinness has the potential to be an emerging star of these Paralympics. The 21-year-old from Harrogate was inspired to take up sport when watching the great Ellie Simmonds in London, but only turned to powerlifting five years ago and is now in Paris.

Hull’s Chris Skelley goes into the judo +90kg category with a gold medal to defend after triumphing in front of the empty stands in Tokyo.

He, along with all the Paralympians, will be hoping for the full houses they deserve to be performing in front of in Paris.

Megan Shackleton, 25, of Todmorden won a bronze medal in Tokyo and is back for her second Paralympics at the table tennis arena in both individual and doubles events.

And Yorkshire is represented by a host of athletes in the wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.

The basketballers, like table tennis players, have a base in Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport. Competing in the men’s team is Middlesbrough’s Terry Bywater who at 41 is heading to his seventh Paralympics having won bronze in four of those. At the last two he did that alongside Halifax’s Harry Brown, while Wakefield 24-year-old Lee Fryer who makes his debut. Sophie Carrigill of Wakefield is heading to her third Paralympics seeking a first medal after heartache in Rio.

And we have three in the open wheelchair rugby; Rotherham’s Gavin Walker, Normanton’s Jamie Stead and Nick Cummins who went to Leeds University.

Yorkshire's Paralympians: Unbeaten Hannah Cockroft flies flag with Kadeena Cox and Megan Shackleton