Paratriathlete Michael Taylor becomes fifth University of Bath-based sportsperson officially selected for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Paratriathlete Michael Taylor has today become the 25th sportsperson based at the University of Bath to be selected for Tokyo 2020 after being named in the ParalympicsGB squad.
It will be a Paralympic Games debut for Taylor, who has been training with the British Triathlon Bath National Performance Centre squad at the Team Bath Sports Training Village for the past year.
“It’s a pretty incredible feeling to be going to my first Paralympic Games,” he said. “Four years ago I remember thinking that was something I could aim for but I wasn’t actually sure if it would ever happen. I’ve had so much support and I feel like it’s been a real team effort from loads of different people and load of different organisations. It’s a great sport and I’m glad I got involved with it when I did.”
Inspired to get into the sport after watching it on television when paratriathlon made its Paralympics debut at Rio 2016, Taylor has made fantastic progress and sealed his Tokyo place after winning three medals – one gold and two silver – on the World Triathlon Para Series circuit this year.
Taylor, a lower-leg amputee who competes in the PTS4 category, moved his training base to Bath after beginning a medical degree at the University of Bristol last year. He is coached by Rhys Davey, who is also coach to Rio bronze-medallist Vicky Holland who will be representing Team GB at a third Olympic Games in Tokyo later this month.
Five University-based sportspeople have now been officially selected for the Paralympic Games, with Taylor joining 10-time swimming medallist Stephanie Millward and wheelchair fencers Dimitri Coutya, Piers Gilliver and Oliver Lam-Watson on the plane to Tokyo.
Twenty sportspeople based at the Team Bath Sports Training Village will also be competing at the Olympic Games. Click here to see the full list of selected athletes.
Top picture credit: imagecomms.
