Sky Scholar Olivia Breen upbeat on return to UK after challenging 2016 Rio Paralympics
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 24/03/17 11:18am
British Paralympian Olivia Breen was delighted to return home on Tuesday after an emotional time in Rio and admitted it had been a "tough" and educational experience.
The 20-year-old sprinter and long jumper had high hopes of getting back on the Paralympic podium in Brazil four years after winning a relay bronze at the London Games.
Breen, born with cerebral palsy and supported by Sky since 2012, impressed to make it through the T38 100m heats in her opening event but finished seventh in the final. In the long jump she was 12th.
They were disappointing results for the multi-eventer albeit in two hugely competitive disciplines and she remained all smiles after stepping off the plane at London Heathrow on Tuesday.
The Sky Academy Sports Scholar said: "It's so nice to finally be home after being away for a month. It's been a tough trip but it's been a learning experience."
Her Rio experience started very positively, qualifying for the final of the T38 100m with a fourth-spot in her heat, only for GB team-mates Sophie Hahn and Kadeena Cox to grab the headlines with gold and bronze respectively.
After the race, Breen said: "I am very disappointed with the final, but I did everything I could.
"I had a good start and if I can find a positive then I'm happy I got into the final. I actually ran better than I thought I would."
With only 47 hours between the 100m final and long jump final, resting and preparation was a tricky balance and Breen found the going tough. She finished 12th with a best effort of 3.99m, 35cm short of her personal best.
It turned out to be Breen's last action in Rio after being dropped for the 100m relay squad. She said on finding out the decision: "I am absolutely gutted but that's sport!"
GB's Paralympians won a total of 127 medals in Rio, 64 of them gold, breaking their medal tally from London 2012, met their 2016 target and finished second in the medal table behind China.
