DOUBLE world champion Maria Lyle has received a boost as she gets ready to defend her titles next year.
The sprinter took gold in the T35 100m and 200m in Dubai in 2019 and is gearing up for the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris next summer.
Ahead of the event, Lyle was one of six Scots to be named on the Paralympic World Class Programme by UK Athletics.
She said: “The World Class Performance Programme is funded by UK Sport and allows athletes to focus on their training.
“It gives access to different support services, such as strength and conditioning, physio, soft tissue and psychologists.
“It is really there to get the most out of an athlete and to help them achieve their goals without barriers being in the way.”
Lyle, who has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, secured a double gold at the championships in Dubai three years ago.
The 22-year-old is already involved in winter training as she prepares for next year’s prestigious event and also looking ahead to the Paralympic Games in France the following year.
She said: “In 2023, we have got the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, which is quite an important competition for me.
“It is one of the first opportunities to qualify for the Paralympic Games the following year.
“That will be the main competition for me but there will be competitions throughout leading up to the World Championships.
“I have got world titles to defend but that is not really my aim as such. I am trying to get within the medals and then that will make selection for the Paralympics a bit easier and less stressful.
“Then, I can just focus on getting ready for the Paralympic Games in 2024.
“I think it is at the start of July, which is a bit earlier than usual.
“My season will start a bit earlier than typically so we have got enough competitions.
“You can be training fit but competition fit is another thing.”
Covid-19 restrictions and injury have meant a year off the track for Lyle, who has been regularly competing since she was 12.
READ MORE: Maria Lyle wins first GB athletics medal at Tokyo Paralympics
The World Para Athletics Championship had been due to take place in Japan last year but were moved due to the rescheduling of the Summer Paralympics.
The event was then pushed back again following concerns about the global pandemic.
The Dunbar athlete, who had time away from the sport due to a foot injury, said she had enjoyed her time away from competing, which has included coaching the all abilities squad with Team East Lothian (TEL).
She said: “I managed to start running in July but I have not really raced at all this year.
“It has been quite a quiet year but I have been doing a lot of coaching and I have got university.
“It has given me a year to focus on different things and I have never had that kind of period away from training throughout my whole career. I think it has definitely got me looking forward to next year and to throw myself into training.
“It has been nice to have other things to focus on and have a little bit more of a normal life.”
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