Daphne Schrager is following in the footsteps of Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox as she tries to transition from athletics to para-cycling.

The Malmesbury star, who has cerebal palsy, shocked the world when she won C3 individual pursuit gold at the Para Track Cycling World Championships last year in her debut.

Now she hopes to follow in the footsteps of four-time Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox, as she prepares to take on Paris.

“I was finishing my A-Levels at the time thinking, is this really what I want to do? Am I going to go to university? Am I still going to do parasport? I’m not sure," said Schrager.

“But at the time I wasn’t going to be good enough to go to the Paralympics for athletics, to be completely transparent. 

“I loved cycling because I’m bit of an adrenaline junkie, I love anything with speed. I like to take a take a few risks along the way, and well if you don’t crash - happy days,” she added.

Schrager’s obsession with the Paralympics stemmed from London 2012, seeing first-hand the possibilities for sporty youngsters like her.

“For me it was the first glimpse of Paralympic sport at its best. Before then, I didn’t really know what you could necessarily do with your disability," she said.

“I’d never really seen it on a big stage where there were so many para sports all doing brilliantly well. 

“That really inspired me and it was phenomenal to watch. Then from there I thought I could actually have a go at this and see what happens.”

Schrager is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing her to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support.

This is vital for her pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.

With the Paris 2024 Paralympics now only one year away, Schrager hopes that by sharing her story it will give others motivation to get involved into sport.

The former Millfield School pupil is closer than ever before to a Games appearance and Paris 2024 is firmly in her crosshairs.

“You always dream of going to a Paralympics as a child, but whether it actually comes to fruition, you never really know," she said.

“But yeah, I would say that now, 12 years on, I do think there’s a strong case.”

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