MOUNT Kelly College swimmer Lily Macleod has been named on the British Para-Swimming Podium Potential Programme for 2017.
The teenager, who is originally from North Yorkshire, is one of 18 Paralympic hopefuls selected for the scheme.
Another 13 athletes, including Cornwall’s four-time Paralympic medal winner Jonathan Fox and former Mount Kelly student Hannah Russell, who won two golds this summer in Rio, have been named on the Podium Programme and 18 others on the Para-Academy Programme for 2017.
Macleod is a visually impaired swimmer who recently broke the British S13 200m freestyle record.
Having missed out of competing at Rio this summer, Macleod is hopeful of competing at the Tokyo Games in 2020.
The Podium Potential Programme will help her try and achieve her dream.
National performance director Chris Furber said: “Rio marked the end a really strong cycle for British Para-Swimming. We reversed the downward trend and we achieved some of the best results ever for the sport at a Paralympics
“However, as predicted the standard of competition in Rio took another leap forwards and while it’s important to enjoy our success we can’t miss a beat as we now prepare for Tokyo.”
He continued: “We all have the desire to be even better in Tokyo and in the opening season of the quadrennial we will be working to ensure athletes get all of the challenges they need to improve. The next step is to ensure athletes and coaches have the right performance plans in place ahead of a tough 2017.”
Performance pathway manager Craig Nicholson added: “This last season has seen some significant performances from our younger athletes and as we move into the next four-year cycle to Tokyo we have made some changes to the structure, where there will be two groups of developing athletes.
“The Podium Potential programme will continue with 18 selected athletes, this is a strong focused group and they show the potential to reach the podium in 2020. This will be underpinned by a new Para-Academy Squad which will form the transition and confirmation process from Home Nation talent programmes onto the World Class Programme.”