LONDON, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- British swimmer Toni Shaw is looking to improve on her performance from Tokyo when she again represents her country in the Paralympics in Paris next week.
The 20-year-old from Aberdeen in the north of Scotland, won bronze in women's S9 400m freestyle in Tokyo, and has followed that with medals at World, European and Commonwealth level.
Nevertheless, she still views her Olympic medal as her biggest success.
"That is the biggest meet and to be able to be on the podium was just incredible," she said in an interview with the BBC.
Although she has been competing at top level since she was 14, Shaw said she still gets the "same feeling every time I go to a big competition as I did the first one, you are still super nervous, super excited and I don't think that feeling will ever go."
"When it comes to swimming, how old you are doesn't really matter, everyone is in the same race. I was lucky to get to start young and I am hopefully still going to be able to keep going a while longer," she added.
The 20-year-old is part of the University of Aberdeen's Performance Swimming program and says it has been a big part of helping her train for Paris.
"It is like I get to go swimming with most of my best friends every day, so it is just a really nice thing to be part of. I am really happy where I am right now," she explained, adding that in times when mental health is such a key question for many athletes, she was happy with her work.
"It is probably the most important part; you are going to the pool eight times a week so if you are not going there and enjoying it, it is just not going to work. Being with such a positive squad definitely helps," insisted Shaw. ■
