For the first time ever Great Britain will have a women’s sitting volleyball team at the Paralympics, included in that team is Martine Wiltshire, who got involved with the sport after losing her legs in the London bombings in 2005.
Both teams earned host-nation places and the women were confirmed in March 2012.
Wiltshire, who was badly injured when the Circle Line train she was on was bombed, said: “It is amazing to be selected into the sitting volleyball squad to represent ParalympicsGB this summer.
“It’s the biggest sporting event on earth, and it’s coming to the city where I was born.
“I have dreamt of being part of it and now I am going there to do my country proud.”
The team have worked hard to get this far but Martine knows there’s more work to be done.
She said: “This has been a long journey but it does not stop here, as we now enter our final training phase.
“I would like to thank my family and friends for all their love and support they have given me in my quest to become a Paralympian. They are all amazing.”
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, made a special congratulation to the athletes at the City hall.
Lisa Wainwright, Chief Executive of Volleyball England, said: “The Great Britain Sitting Volleyball programme was created following the award of the London Games and in that time we have built not only a fantastic group of athletes, but started the foundations to grow the sport for many years to come at all levels.”
Selected female athletes:
Amy Brierly (Flintshire)
Andrea Green (Derby)
Claire Harvey (Kent)
Emma Wiggs (Rickmansworth) – pictured above
Jessica Frezza (Bedford)
Jessica O’Brien (Cardiff)
Julie Rogers (Bedford)
Martine Wiltshire (Tring)
Jodi Hill (Medstead)
Sam Bowen (Mid-Glamorgan)
Vicky Widdup (Roehampton)
Holly Patel, Sportsister
The Women’s Sport Magazine
