A talented athlete from Ayrshire is heading to Tokyo next month as she eyes up glory for team GB at the Paralympics.
Ayr’s Robyn Love, 30, is part of the 12-strong GB women’s wheelchair basketball team aiming for the gold medal.
Former Kyle Academy pupil Robyn was born with arthrogryposis, a rare condition in which the muscles are shortened.
As a result, her right leg is shorter than her left, and she is missing muscles in both legs.
But those difficulties have not prevented Robyn from going on to become one of the UK’s elite Para athletes.
The GB Wheelchair Basketball Teams are currently ranked number 1 and 2 in the world for the men and women’s teams respectively.
In actual fact, the GB women’s team has experienced a period of unprecedented success following the Rio Paralympics, where they finished in fourth place, then claiming silver medals at both the 2018 World and 2019 European Championships.
Twelve athletes from these history making squads feature in the Tokyo selection announcement.
And Tokyo selection marks a second Games for Robyn.
Paralympic GB’s wheelchair basketball team leader Jayne Ellis said during the squads’ announcement: “There have been times when we may all have questioned or doubted whether this day would actually arrive, but this selection announcement is richly deserved.
“Throughout the last 18 months I have watched in awe as time and time again these dedicated athletes have gone above and beyond, giving their all to this sport, completely focused on their ambition to represent their nation in Tokyo.
“For some this has been through converting garages into home gyms, and for others this has been sacrificing weeks away from their loved ones and family so that they can attend GB training camps.
“The selection news should also be credited to the selfless loved ones and families of our GB teams, this incredible support network is truly the team behind the team and their unwavering encouragement and support of our athletes should not go unrecognised.”
Penny Briscoe, Paralympics GB Chef de Mission at Tokyo 2020, added: “I am thrilled to welcome these talented wheelchair basketball athletes to Paralympics GB to compete in this compelling team sport.
“Both the men’s and women’s teams have enjoyed really notable successes at recent World Championships and have an intriguing blend of youth and experience within the squads.
“I look forward to seeing them compete on the court at Tokyo 2020 next month and am sure they can replicate those recent successes on the biggest stage of all – the Paralympic Games.”
So far, the other Ayrshire athletes currently preparing to represent Team GB at the Tokyo Paralympics includes brothers Scott and Jamie McCowan, from Dundonald, who will contest the Boccia events.
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