A PARALYMPIC hopeful is aiming to put in the best performance of his life when he goes for Rio selection.

Lyndon Longhorne, from Crook in County Durham, will be competing at Paralympic trials in Glasgow from next weekend (April 23-27).

The 20-year-old, who missed out on the chance to swim for Great Britain at London 2012, will be seeing if he can get on the team heading to Rio in September.

He said: “It’s going to be pretty tough to qualify because of the category I’m in but I’m hoping to get some new personal bests and see what happens.

“My coach and the rest of the team sat down and just said it’s going to be a big ask but if I can get a new personal best I’ll be happy.”

Lyndon, who is studying at Northumbria University, lost both his legs, his right arm and part of his left hand after contracting meningitis when he was eight months old.

He first got in the pool aged two and has been swimming competitively since he was 12. Inspired by watching the Beijing Games in 2008, he has dreamed about representing his country at a Paralympics ever since.

He is now training five days a week with Team Northumbria.

He will be swimming in the 200 metre freestyle, 150 metre medley, 50 metre fly and 50 metre breast stroke classes.

He added: “I’m feeling great at the minute. I’ve done some heavy to light training this week and next week will be dropping off to get ready to race.

“As the trials are coming closer everything is picking up and on Friday everything was coming together.

“For me this is a big occasion. I’ve worked my backside off and if I qualify I think I’ll be speechless. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Rio and to go to represent your country at a major games.”

Lyndon, who is an ambassador for the Meningitis Trust, learned how to walk without crutches in 2013 after being fitted with prosthetic legs, and was given a bionic hand in 2014.