Larne paralympian Claire is all set for Rio

Larne's Para Olympian Claire Taggart. INLT 31-210-AM

The 21-year-old local woman, who suffers from dystonia, is the first person from Northern Ireland ever to have represented her country on a paralympic boccia squad.

“Claire is really looking forward to going to Rio, she is very humbled to have been chosen and she will be going out to Rio with her dad Stephen on September 2,” her proud mum Maggie told the Times.

“The competition will run from September 7-12 and Claire is past herself with excitement, she feels so honoured to have been chosen for the squad.”

Maggie says Claire first started playing boccia three years ago with Ballygally Boccia Club, and hasn’t looked back since.

“Boccia has had an amazing impact on all our lives,” Maggie continued.

“I never thought that one day I would be the mother of a paralympian! It will mean the world to me and Claire if they are successful.

“She already has five medals at world level with the GB Paralympic Boccia Squad, a paralympic one would be the icing on the cake!”

Claire and her family would like to thank Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Sports Development Team, Ballygally Boccia group, Disability Sport NI, the Sports Institute-Sport Northern Ireland and GB Boccia for helping her Rio dream come true.