Twelve British Paralympians preparing for start of Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games

The Xth Paralympic Winter Games begin on Friday March 12 in Vancouver, Canada, and ParalympicsGB has a total of 12 athletes competing across two sports during the 10 days of competition.

ParalympicsGB has selected five wheelchair curlers and seven skiers (comprising six sit-skiers and one visually-impaired skier) to compete in Vancouver.

2010 World Cup gold medallist Sean Rose is selected, and he has his sights set on his first podium finish at a Paralympic Games. Four years ago Rose’s highest finish position was 6th in the Downhill event where he was just half a second off a podium finish, and the downhill event looks likely to be his preferred event this time around as well.

Russell Docker, a veteran of two Paralympic Winter Games, is also selected, while five athletes make their Paralympic debut: Talan Skeels-Piggins, Anna Turney, Jane Sowerby, Tim Farr and visually-impaired skier Kelly Gallagher who competes with her guide Claire Robb.

Three members of the curling team that won silver in Turin four years ago are returning to the British team: Michael McCreadie, selected to skip to team, as well as Tom Killin and Angela Malone. They are joined by Aileen Neilson, who comes from a family of curlers and who has taken leave from her job to train for the Games, and Jim Sellar, a veteran of six World Championships for GB.

The Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver runs from March 12-21. Athletes will be available for interviews tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday.