​Borders wheelchair-racer Samantha Kinghorn one of five Scots being backed for more medal success

The programme is a National Lottery-funded ​​UK Sport initiative supporting athletes considered likely to pick up medals at Paralympic Games and other major championships.

It’s backing 35 athletes in total, split into three classes – those, like wheelchair-racer Kinghorn, with a track record of podium places, those with potential to pick up medals and those already confirmed as having qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.

Kinghorn, 28, a gold medallist and four-time silver winner at this year’s Paralympics in France, is one of three Scots in the category for athletes with podium places to their name already, the others being Fifers Owen Miller and Ben Sandilands.

Fellow wheelchair racer Melanie Woods is deemed to have Paralympic podium potential and Glasgow’s Steven Bryce is already confirmed for LA in four years’ time.

Katie Jones, head of UK Athletics’ Paralympic programme, welcomed that backing, saying: “Our thanks go to UK Sport and the National Lottery for investing in the Paralympic world-class programme.

“We look forward to receiving confirmation of our LA investment later this year so that we can continue to retain our place as one of the world’s leading nations for para athletics.

“That support is essential to helping our para athletes continue to be the best prepared they can be for major championships and games if we are to continue to build on the successes of the last few paralympic cycles.”