ParalympicsGB today announced a seventh athlete, Kelly Gallagher, will compete in Alpine skiing at the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada from March 12-21, 2010.

Gallagher is a visually impaired athlete and will compete with her guide, Claire Robb. 

Phil Lane, Chief Executive of ParalympicsGB, said: “I am pleased that we are now in a position to announce Kelly as the final member of the ParalympicsGB team for the Paralympic Winter Games following the successful completion of an international classification process over the weekend.

“Kelly is a young but mature athlete and I am confident she will be an asset to the team.”

Dave Chugg, Team Manager, said: “It is excellent that Kelly has been selected. Although she is a relative newcomer to the team, she is a great prospect for the future and I am confident that Vancouver will be a valuable experience for her in her development as a skier.”

Gallagher said of her selection: “I am over the moon at being selected for the team. It is every athlete’s dream to represent their country and it’s very exciting to be the first paralympic skier from Northern Ireland.”

The six other members of the ski team were announced on Friday (January 29) as Russell Docker, Sean Rose, Talan Skeels-Piggins, Anna Turney, Jane Sowerby and Tim Farr.

The curling team was named earlier as Michael McCreadie (skip), Tom Killin, Angela Malone, James Sellar and Aileen Neilson.