LEIGH'S Gregg Warburton (Leigh) is among the 12 wheelchair basketball players who will compete in the men’s tournament at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Warburton was one of eight players from the GB U22 Team to receive the great honour of being selected to carry the Paralympic Flag into the stadium at the Opening Ceremony of the London Paralympic Games. He is now set to make his Paralympic debut in Rio.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted to make the team for Rio, it’s been a goal of mine for a long time now and it’s great that all of the hard work has paid off. We know that we are one of the best teams in the world on our day, and going into the tournament as reigning European Champions gives us a huge amount of confidence.”

The team is led by four-time Paralympian Terry Bywater, who already holds two bronze medals to his name. A veteran of multiple Games, Bywater has seen the development of Paralympic sport over two decades and is looking forward to competing at the first Games since London 2012.

“Rio will be such an important Games for us as athletes. It’s the first Games after London, and that was a watershed Games in terms of public support and recognition for Paralympic athletes. Hopefully that can continue in 2016, both with the British public as well as in Rio.”

Simon Brown co-captains the team alongside Terry Bywater and is back for his second Games after first representing ParalympicsGB at Beijing 2008, where the team won bronze.