They attended Kelly College, a private boarding school in Devon, before both pursued careers as swimmers, representing Britain at the Paralympics. Eventually, they both transitioned into triathlon, stood on the podium together at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, and will once again compete for gold at the Paris Paralympics this summer.

Their rivalry has spanned years, but as Steadman describes, it’s more than just competitive, it's friendly, even familial. "She is like a big sister to me," Steadman told BBC Sport. "I met her when I was 13, and I said to my dad: 'I want to be Claire Cashmore.'

"Off the field, we are very close. I never want her to have a bad race. I don't want to beat someone when they are down. If we are leading the way forward, then who better to push boundaries with than my own teammate? We can use each other to be the best in the world."

That ambition to excel was nurtured at Kelly College, now known as Mount Kelly, an institution renowned for producing an impressive number of Olympians and Paralympians, particularly in swimming. Alongside Cashmore and Steadman, Paralympic gold medal-winning swimmers Hannah Russell and Michael Jones also attended the boarding school in Tavistock, as did British Olympians Sharron Davies, Andy Jameson, and Robin Brew.

In addition to sharing an alma mater, Cashmore and 31-year-old Steadman have similar disabilities, each has one missing forearm, which places them in the same Para-triathlon category, PTS5.

Although they compete against each other, Cashmore, who is five years older than Steadman, mentions that they rarely interact outside of the competition circuit, despite Steadman’s depiction of a sisterly bond. "Lauren and myself don't train together; we only see each other at competitions and training camps," she told BBC Sport. "It keeps you on your toes to know there are girls who are constantly pushing and breaking down those barriers to be better, so you have to make sure you are doing everything you can as well.

"I love racing against other people who are constantly pushing me to be better. It is what keeps me motivated, setting goals each day. If it was a walk in the park, I wouldn't have that same drive every day. I love to be pushed, see the other girls doing well, and keep pushing boundaries."

The most high-profile showdown between Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman took place in Tokyo three years ago, after years of anticipation. Paris 2024 will mark Cashmore’s sixth Paralympics and Steadman’s fifth. Cashmore’s first four appearances were as a swimmer, with the highlight being gold in the women's 4x100m relay at Rio 2016. However, feeling disillusioned with swimming, she switched to triathlon, which debuted in Rio, where Steadman claimed silver.

Both had represented GB in swimming, Steadman in 2008 and 2012, before moving to their stronger discipline. They finally met on the Paralympic stage in Tokyo, competing without spectators due to Covid-19.