Mitton set on Paralympic gold

Not many athletes have the gumption to dream of winning a table-tennis gold medal in China's backyard.

The sport is passionately followed and played by millions of Chinese and is as much a speciality of the country as Chicken Chow Mein.

But Wamdsad's Cathy Mitton is part of a 10-strong Great British table-tennis side which is aiming to give the Chinese a ping-pong master-class in Beijing.

The 51-year-old is a veteran of the sport having won bronze medals in Sydney in 2000 and Athens four years later.

She is consigned to live the rest of her days in a wheelchair after contracting polio as a child, but that hasn't affected her meteoric rise to the pinnacle of her sport.

She took up the sport 20 years ago as 'something to do' and immediately felt like a fish in water with a bat in her hand.

Mitton has won medals at World and European levels to add to her Paralympic achievements but so far the gold has eluded her.

A tennis elbow injury has hampered her preparations for Beijing but she made the cut a few months ago, and can only be inspired by the passionate support of the fans in Beijing.

All tickets to the popular Paralympic event sold out months ago and Mitton is set to compete in her opening round match on Tuesday.

Mitton flew out to Beijing with Wamdsad's other Paralympic star Kathy Critchlow-Smith who sealed her place as a paralympian great with gold medal in the archery in Athens.

The former world champion is due to start her medal defence next Sunday, September 14. 

The paralympic games starts on Saturday and finishes on September 17.