HANNAH Taunton, 30, a Taunton based runner, is on her way to the Tokyo Paralympics this month to represent Team GB writes Lewis Wiseman.

"I am excited and nervous, but very proud to be representing Great Britain at the Tokyo Paralympics," Taunton said.

The former pupil at Castle School in Taunton has been announced as one of the 44 strong Great Britain Para Athletics Squad.

She is set to compete in the 1500 metres event in the T20 category for athletes with intellectual impairment.

Hannah’s Tokyo ambitions were put on hold for 2020 due to the pandemic, but she did manage to break a Para World Record for 5000 metres on the track in Manchester in 2020.

Somerset County Gazette: Hannah running in Manchester race.

Despite the many restrictions and hardships COVID has brought, Hannah has kept her focus and trained hard.

Managing to get some domestic and international races in before the Olympics.

In particular, the WPA European Championships in Poland in June, where Hannah finished in fourth place.

Hannah was first recommended to the Taunton Athletics Club 18 years ago by Head of PE at her school, Barry Jones.

At the athletics club she was introduced to her coach Charlotte Fisher who has been training her since.

Hannah has been a regular on the local Somerset running scene for many years.

A regular at Longrun Meadow parkrun and also many of the local road races over the years competing for Taunton Athletics Club.

"I would like to thank Taunton Athletics Club and my coach Charlotte, Running Forever Running Club, Longrun Meadow Parkrun and other local parkruns for their support, said Hannah.

In 2016 when opportunities for T20 athletes became more frequent Hannah made the transition from road to track to see how far her she talents could take her.

Within a year Hannah was invited into the British Athletics Para Futures Programme and then progressing into the World Class Para Programme.

She made her international debut in 2019 for Team GB at the Para World Track & Field Championships in Dubai where she finished 5th.

The next step in her journey is the Paralympics and she is on track to do her family, friends, coach and Somerset proud.

Behind every athlete there is a wider support team and for Hannah this includes a close family unit who have been behind her every step of the way.

'We are so proud of our daughter, who is passionate and dedicated to her running," said her parents, Gill and Hugh Taunton.

"She is an inspiration and role model to many people including those who have a disability."

Hannah will fly out to Tokyo to the British Athletics Holding Camp in Yokohama to do her final preparations.

From there she travels to the Paralympic Village in Tokyo to compete on Friday 3rd September.