Gallagher to compete at Paralympic Winter Games

 KELLY Gallagher is to be the first skier from Northern Ireland to represent Great Britain after being selected for the Paralympic Winter Games in March.

SELECTED: Great Britain’s Kelly Gallagher - pictured with guide Claire Rob - after winning giant slalom gold at last year’s Winter Games NZ in New Zealand (Getty Images)

The 24-year-old is the seventh skier to be named for the alpine team to compete at the Games in Vancouver.

Gallagher, a visually impaired athlete who will compete with her guide Claire Robb, won gold in her first international race in August 2009 at the Winter Games in New Zealand.

After only making her international debut last year, Gallagher had been looking ahead to Sochi 2014 but is looking to take as much experience from Vancouver as possible.

"I am over the moon at being selected for the team," said Gallagher.

"It is every athlete's dream to represent their country and it's very exciting to be the first Paralympic skier from Northern Ireland."

ParalympicsGB chief executive Phil Lane confirmed Gallagher will be the final member of the squad.

"I am pleased that we are now in a position to announce Kelly as the final member of the ParalympicsGB team for the Paralympic Winter Games following the successful completion of an international classification process over the weekend," said Lane.

"Kelly is a young but mature athlete and I am confident she will be an asset to the team."

Team manager Dave Chugg added: "It is excellent that Kelly has been selected.

"Although she is a relative newcomer to the team, she is a great prospect for the future and I am confident that Vancouver will be a valuable experience for her in her development as a skier."

Sean Rose, fresh from securing Great Britain's first ever IPCAS World Cup gold medal earlier this month, has already been named in the team, alongside Russell Docker, who has competed at two previous Paralympic Winter Games.

Talan Skeels-Piggins, Anna Turney and Jane Sowerby and Tim Farr will all be making their Paralympic skiing debuts in Whistler.