STEPHEN MILLER and Jade Jones have been confirmed in the British athletics squad for this summer’s Paralympic Games in Rio.
The North-East duo were among 41 athletes selected today, with 13 competitors having already been confirmed in the first round of selection following last year’s IPC World Championships.
Miller, who is from Cramlington, will be competing at his sixth Paralympics in his specialist event, the F32 club throw.
The 36-year-old won three successive gold medals at the Atlanta, Sydney and Athens Paralympics, and also claimed a silver medal in Beijing in 2008.
He was selected as the captain of the men’s athletics squad at the 2012 Paralympics in London, only to fail to make the final, but has successfully rediscovered his best form in the last four years.
Jones, a wheelchair racer from Middlesbrough, will race in her second Paralympics following her selection for the 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m in the T54 classification.
She won a silver and bronze medal at the IPC European Championships in Swansea in 2014, and also claimed a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the same year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
A former pupil of Ormseby School, who is currently studying law at Teesside University, Jones finished third in the 1,500m at the Anniversary Games at London’s Olympic Stadium last weekend.
In total, there are 21 returning Paralympians from London 2012, including gold medallists Jonnie Peacock, Hannah Cockcroft, David Weir and Richard Whitehead.
“This is a formidable line-up and I’m really excited to welcome these athletes to the team,” said Penny Briscoe, the chef de mission for Paralympics GB. “With a mix of experienced names and new faces, we can look forward to some really exciting performances in Rio and more memorable moments from our track-and-field athletes.
“This is set to be the most competitive Paralympics ever, but I know there is serious medal potential here and it pays testament to the hard work of Paula Dunn (Paralympic head coach) and her team at British Athletics. I’d like to wish the athletes all the very best with their final preparations for the Games.”
The Paralympic Games begin on Wednesday, September 7 and run for 12 days until September 18.
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