A TRIO of University of Worcester students will represent Great Britain at this summer’s Rio Paralympic Games.
Sophie Carrigill, Jude Hamer and Leah Evans, who are all on the university’s Elite Athlete Mentors Programme, will travel to Brazil to represent their country in the women’s wheelchair basketball.
Carrigill, a third-year psychology student, is a graduate of the British Paralympic Association’s ‘Paralympic Inspiration Programme’ and will co-captain the team alongside Helen Freeman.
Hamer, who is studying biochemistry, represented Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and Evans, a sports coaching science with disability student, will be joining up with the GB squad for the first time.
Carrigill said: “Getting to experience London 2012 as part of the Paralympic Inspiration Programme really inspired me to reach Rio. I’ve trained so hard in the last few years and now I want to do my very best to make my family and the nation proud.”
Penny Briscoe MBE, Paralympics GB’s chef de mission for Rio, said: “This is one of the strongest teams I think we’ve ever fielded in women’s wheelchair basketball, so I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on. This is a sport that combines speed and energy with sharp manoeuvring and plenty of spills. It’s always incredibly exciting for the public to watch and I’m confident it will be again.”
Paul Davies, performance director at British Wheelchair Basketball, said: “To compete at the Paralympic Games is one of the highest honours an athlete can receive.
“They have worked incredibly hard for years and I’m delighted they have reached this point in their sporting careers.
“In the years since London 2012, GB women athletes have earned their place within the world’s top five teams and by building upon an extremely strong preparation programme, they are set to achieve GB’s best-ever Paralympic performance in Rio.”
