Beaumont happy to bide her time until Paralympic debut

Posted: Thursday 27th October 2011 | 13:23

ELLA Beaumont appears destined to compete at the Paralympic Games - but she's happy to bide her time just like she's been advised.

BIDING HER TIME: Ella Beaumont, pictured with Ade Adepitan, is happy to wait for her Paralympic bow

The 16-year-old was required to have a back operation in 2009 - temporarily putting her wheelchair tennis career on hold as she eased her way back into competition.

Having scarcely competed in 2009 and having made the decision to focus on her fitness in 2010, Beaumont took to the court in anger this year culminating in a trip to Belgium for the Ath Open in August.

Beaumont reached the quarter-finals of both the single and doubles while the multi-talented youngster also took in a trip to the Under-25 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Canada where she won bronze for Great Britain.

But Beaumont, who benefits from the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes scheme, is refusing to get carried away, she said: "I don't think I will qualify for next year's Paralympics.

"I am still quite young and in 2009 I had an operation on my back and last year I was building up my fitness before getting back into competition this year.

"I have got the all clear from the doctors but they said take it easy. I have been doing various competitions - the best opportunity the Ath Open out in Belgium.

"We had a four-day camp before and there were a lot of international players out there and it was a really good experience, which I really enjoyed.

"That experience is fairly new and flying is a bit of hassle with the chairs but I enjoyed it and I know I will be going to more and more senior events abroad in the coming years."

Beaumont was in London last week to help promote the 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay, in association with Lloyds TSB, and, while she is unlikely to be at the Games less than a year from now, she insists that isn't stopping her getting excited.

"I have applied for basketball and tennis tickets and I think we will find out if we have got some at the end of this month," she added. "The Games have been in the public eye a lot recently and anything that can raise the profile of the sport is great."

Shine a light on someone that has made a difference in the disability community by nominating them to carry the Paralympic Flame with Lloyds TSB. To find our more or make a nomination visit www.lloydstsb.com/paralympicflame by 22 November 2011