TEENAGE track star Polly Maton was unable to hide her relief after finding out she had been included in Great Britain’s squad for the IPC Para World Championships in London next month.

The 17-year-old from Urchfont, who trains at University of Bath’s Sports Training Village, discovered she had made the cut for the championships from July 14-23 when her mum Felicity told her on the way back from school.

The announcement comes after a solid year for the Dauntsey’s pupil, who came fifth in T47 100m and seventh in long jump at the Paralympics in Rio last summer.

“I knew selection was on that day so I was relatively nervous at school, I couldn’t really focus, but when my mum told me I was really surprised,” said the teenager, who will compete at her second world championships after appearing in Doha two years ago just a couple of years after being spotted at a talent identification event and going on to win three gold medals at the IWAS Junior Championships in 2014 when she was only 14.

“I was really nervous because it was a tough year for selection and I wasn’t sure if my performances had been good enough. I’m really privileged to have been selected.”

Maton, who was a spectator at the London Paralympics in 2012, is looking forward to stepping into the London Stadium as an athlete this time around.

“Because it is a home games I was really hoping I would be selected and obviously I was too young to compete in London 2012,’’ added the teenager, who was fifth in the T47 100m in Rio and seventh in the long jump.

“It’s any athletes dream to be able to compete at major championships at home, so it is something I was really hoping for and I’m glad I got selected.

“I think it will be advantage especially if we can get people coming to the stadiums, that would give everyone a boost.

“I would really like to improve on my performances in Rio, both in places and in times, so if I can get faster times and longer distances I’d be really chuffed.”

Colin Baross has coached Maton for several years and believes the teenager is only going to get faster and stronger.

“I think the experience will be great for her, we want to try and improve upon what we did in Rio, whether we can or not is another matter,” he said.

“She’s a much more confident person (since Rio) and she trains harder. She has been working very hard since then, she’s had a few niggles which have set her back but we are on top of those now.

“She has grown a little bit which is why the injuries have occurred, she’s even taller and that has stretched her body so we have had to be careful there.”

Maton was presented with an Honorary Blue by University of Bath Director of Sport Stephen Baddeley to recognise her Paralympic Games debut last year.