PARALYMPIC gold medallist Stephanie Millward has started to turn her attention towards next year’s Commonwealth Games after seeing her bid for more global glory this month thwarted by unforeseen events.

The Corsham competitor, who won four medals including two golds at last year’s Paralympic Games in Rio, should have been battling for honours at the IPC World Para Swimming Championships - the event in which she clinched four titles in Montreal in 2013 - in Mexico City this week.

However, the massive earthquake that hit the Mexican capital in the middle of last month forced the International Paralympic Committee to postpone the event after hundreds were killed and major damage caused to buildings and infrastructure.

The championships have been rescheduled for November 27-December 7 in the same city but 36-year-old Millward was taking this week off before looking to get back into competitive action towards the end of the year.

“I was meant to start racing on Saturday which is quite scary, but obviously we aren’t going to race this week,” said Millward, who celebrated S8 100m backstroke and 4 x 100m medley relay glory in Brazil last summer.

“It’s a shame because I was really looking forward to it, it was going to be a fantastic event over there.

“It’s never happened to me before, so I am just going to have a week off and reset everything ready for my next competition.

“A week off is always a good thing. I haven’t got anything booked yet but I’m hoping to do some competitions in November.”

Millward’s longer-term focus is the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast next April before the IPC European Championships take place in Dublin in August.

Following a reduction in training, from nine gruelling two-hour sessions a week down to seven, the nine-time Paralympic medallist says she is feeling good in the pool.

“We have the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships next year, which will be exciting,” added Millward, who fought a High Court battle against having her funding from British Swimming cut earlier this year before securing backing from Hitachi Capital UK.

“It’s two big events. I’ve done a lot of teaching and coaching this year to keep me occupied which has been fun.

“I’m feeling very strong and confident, I think I will be on top of the world next year, or I hope to be.

“I had a bit of a conversation with my coach and said because I’m older and I’ve done all those metres, my body doesn’t need the training as much.

“Truthfully, I’ve always loved swimming, I love training and I love racing I love everything about it really so I’m positive all of the time anyway.

“I have more energy now, I used to finish swimming and be exhausted but now I have far more energy it is much better and much easier.”