Tokyo Paralympics: GB Military Athletes Tell Us About Preparation

More military athletes have been selected to represent Paralympics GB in Tokyo this summer.

It is hoped that 230 GB para-athletes representing 19 sports will go to Japan in a month.

Former Royal Engineer Micky Yule has been selected in powerlifting for his second games.

He told Forces News reporter Cath Brazier: "To think that I would have qualified on my very last lift at the very last comp, I wouldn't think I would have been able to do that.

"Over the moon, back with the team, going back to Tokyo. I've been lucky enough to be there a couple of times and going there and going there to compete hard, lift big and then hopefully come back with a medal."

Micky is one of five members of the powerlifting team and is the current European champion in the Men's 'up to 72kg' category.

He competed at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and is an Invictus veteran.

The powerlifter has two Commonwealth Games under his belt – on the Gold Coast in 2018 and a home games in Glasgow in 2014.

WATCH: RAF Senior Aircraftman Luke Pollard spoke to us in May about his Paralympic ambitions.

He said: "I am now looking at going to my third Commonwealth Games next year, strangely, in Birmingham and I've finished fourth twice.

"I've competed with a torn pec, I actually broke my leg before the last one and we didn't know if my leg would re-break on the day.

"I've just had a complete nightmare with the Commonwealth Games and actually on both occasions I could have won gold medals so again, we go back into my third one, I've still got that itch to scratch.

"I have had more sleepless nights about Commonwealth Games than I have about getting blown up so it’s about time I performed," he added.

Serving airman Luke Pollard will guide visually impaired athlete Dave Ellis in the paratriathlon.

It will be Dave's second Paralympic Games, but his first as a triathlete. Dave's guide – the RAF's Luke Pollard – is a debutant.

Luke said: "All feels a bit real today – just sitting there and getting officially selected. Just all kind of came home to me I guess.

"I've been working really hard for this and it sort of hit me today a bit."

Dave said the pandemic lockdown has been good for his build-up: "Probably has helped a little bit for me – just not being able to swim or access the group facility meant I did a little bit more training, run, bike and then just added the swim back into it."

Luke added: "Nothing wrong with more time to train and prepare, and I think we've really homed in on more skills and better performances."

Paralympics GB won 120 medals at London 2012 and bettered that with 147, including 64 golds, at Rio in 2016.

Tokyo is the first city to host the Paralympics for a second time after staging them in 1964. The postponed 2020 Games run from 24 August to 5 September.