Maria Lyle targeting Paris Paralympics after return from injury

The five-time medallist only returned to competing last week after having surgery on her foot following the Tokyo Paralympics in September 2021.

Last week, she attended a training camp in the Middle East and stepped back onto the track for the first time at the World Para Athletics Dubai Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old picked up a silver and bronze medal at the event and is gearing up for the World Para Athletics Championships, where she took gold in both the T35 100m and 200m in 2019.

Looking ahead to the event in Paris this summer, she said: “That will be one of our first opportunities to qualify for [the Paralympics in] Paris the following year.

“It is quite an important competition now and really the next couple of months is trying to prepare and get in the best shape I can for that.

“That is the main aim for this year.

“Obviously, it would be amazing to win a medal and that is obviously the aim to go and get a medal but it is so tough.

“The competition now, especially a year out from Paris, there are new people coming along.

“I will just focus on myself.

“It would be nice to get a medal and I would love to retain my titles but it is quite a challenge and quite a big ask, but I will just go along with that, try hard and what will be will be.”

Maria Lyle enjoyed success in Tokyo

Ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics, Lyle had been struggling with an injury impacting the big toe on her right foot.

Following the competition in Tokyo, where she took two bronze medals, and with no event at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, it was decided to have surgery to correct the problem.

She said: “I have been quite lucky and never had any major surgery on my foot but it was a 45-minute surgery.

“I could not properly do any running or training for about five to six months.

“It was small surgery but a big impact on training.”

Time away from the sport allowed Lyle, who is studying at Edinburgh Napier University, the chance to focus on her university work and also undertake an internship at Scottish Disability Sport.

READ MORE: Dunbar's Maria Lyle takes gold at the World Para-Athletics Championship

Lyle, of Dunbar, told Courier Sport the struggles of being unable to train and said: “I missed just being able to be physically active.

“For me, I’m not as bothered about competition but I just love to train and keep fit.”

Lyle, who has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, was joined at the training camp by coach Jamie Bowie, who was previously East Lothian’s athletics development officer for four-and-a-half years until the end of 2019.

She then competed in the international event at Dubai Club for People of Determination, venue of the 2019 World Championships in UAE, where her time of 31.89 seconds was good enough for a silver medal behind China’s Xia Zhou in the 200m.

The former Dunbar Grammar School pupil also secured a bronze in the 100m after finishing behind Zhou and compatriot Qianqian Guo.

READ MORE: Maria Lyle sets sights on World Championships return

She said: “Myself and my coach thought it would be ideal to make the most of the good weather out there when it has not been great here.

“Especially with sprinting, it was good to do some good-quality work and the heat has great benefits for my cerebral palsy.

“I feel I move a lot better and we got some good-quality work with some other coaches and sports staff with British Athletics that we don’t see that much. That was the main aim of the camp, just a lot of track and gym stuff.”