A YOUNGSTER from Wotton-under-Edge is dreaming of representing Great Britain at the Paralympics after some impressive performances in athletics and tennis.

Chloe Ball-Hopkins, 14, recently reached the final of the Junior National Tennis Championships at Gloucester and is now ready to take the athletics world by storm.

She was selected as having potential for wheelchair racing and discuss at a Playground to Podium (P2P) event in Cheltenham, which is a joint initiative between the Youth Sport Trust, Sport England, English Federation of Disability Sport and the National Governing Bodies.

Within a week of identification, the Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School pupil attended a training session at Cheltenham and County Harriers with Ed Grazier, who is UKA Level Two coach and experienced wheelchair racer coached by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, and has already reduced her times significantly.

Ball-Hopkins, who has Arthrogryposis, Trismus and Nemaline Myopathy (Muscular Dystrophy), took part in the CP Grand Prix at Bath and finished the 100metres in 33 seconds and the 200m in 66 seconds.

On Friday, she is heading to Blackpool for the DSE national junior championships.

Choe’s mum, Louisa Hopkins, said: "It’s her dream now to get to the Olympics.

"I’d love her to get to the Olympics either in athletics or tennis in 2012 or 2016 - I’m sure she will make it one day.

"We are very proud of her and hopefully we’ll be standing behind her one day when she’s receiving a medal."

Disability Athletics Support Officer at England Athletics, Jobe King, picked out Ball-Hopkins as having potential to achieve a podium finish at national or international level at the P2P event and believes the national championships will provide a valuable experience.

"It’s where a number of paralympic athletes started out," he said. It’s not a huge competition but it’s where a hotbed of talent comes from so I’m keen for her to go this year so if she’s interested to do it next year she’ll know what it’s about."

Ball-Hopkins has just joined Yate & District Athletics club to increase her training and King has set an aim for her to compete at the London Mini-Marathon next year, which is three miles of the London Marathon course.

King added: "Chloe is a shining light, she’s gone into it head first and isn’t afraid of anything.

"She got to the chair and she was off round the track without input, whereas others need an induction and technical work before racing.

"The Paralympics is one goal but the London mini-marathon is a more realistic target next year."

Chloe’s parents are currently writing to local companies for help as they look for funding to buy a racing chair, which would cost approximately £2,500.

Anyone interested in helping should contact Louisa Hopkins on 07751 043654.