DROITWICH swimming star Rebecca Redfern will be on the plane to Rio after she was selected by Team GB for this year’s Paralympic Games.
The 16-year-old, who studies at Droitwich High School and is a member at Worcester Swimming Club, will appear at her first paralympics after she was selected today (Monday) as part of a 31-strong Team GB swimming squad to travel to Brazil.
Redfern’s success comes after she claimed silver in the 100m breaststroke at the IPC Swimming European Championships in Madeira, Portugal.
The Droitwich teenager finished behind German swimmer Elena Krawzow with a time of 1.17.46, more than a second ahead of Karolina Pelendritou of Cyprus who finished in third.
Prior to her appearance at the European Championships, Redfern broke a world record at the British Para Swimming International Meet in Glasgow.
She claimed bronze in the S13 category of the 100m breaststroke in a record breaking time of one minute and 16.86 seconds.
Redfern’s father Steve said he was over the moon to see his daughter achieve her dream of reaching the Paralympics.
“I am absolutely speechless,” he said. “We were hoping it was coming and now it has arrived it’s completely overwhelming.
“I’m going to be going to Rio with Rebecca and I’m really looking forward to it.
“Whatever happens I could not be more proud of my daughter.
“She has achieved so much in the last year and this is the icing on the cake.”
At the age of nine, Redfern was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa, which will lead to her becoming near or totally blind.
Redfern was classified as a visually impaired disability swimmer in late 2014 and is now part of the GB World Class potential programme.
Over the last 12 months, Redfern has competed at country, regional, national and international meets with a number of medals along the way.
She has previously broken four British records in breaststroke events in the S13 classification before her incredible world record time.
Rest of the Paralympics GB Swimming team: Andrew Mullen, Aaron Moores, Scott Quin, Jonathan Fox, Ollie Hynd, James Crisp, Tom Hamer, Michael Jones, Josef Craig, Matt Wylie, Ryan Crouch, Susie Rodgers, Hannah Russell, Ellie Simmonds, Claire Cashmore, Bethany Firth, Charlotte Henshaw, Harriet Lee, Stephanie Slater, Abby Kane, Ellie Robinson, Jessica-Jane Applegate, Steph Millward, Amy Marren, Alice Tai, Jonathan Booth, Sascha Kindred, Stephen Clegg, Lewis White, Tully Kearney.
