DISCUS star Holly Neill admitted she had achieved the “ultimate goal” when she got the call to compete at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The F41 athlete, from Chantmarle, also insisted her hard work will now continue to get in prime condition for the global event, in which she has initially targeted a top-six finish.

Asked by Echosport what her initial reaction was to being picked for Brazil, Neil replied: “I got the call at about 7pm and I was waiting all day!

“I was really shocked and excited at the same time. I said ‘are you sure?!’.

“My coach and I have worked really hard for the last four years and it’s the ultimate goal. To achieve it is brilliant.

“To go to Rio and experience the culture there will be amazing. Hopefully we will have the crowd support like it was in London.”

She added: “My ambition in the competition is to make the final and then the top six. That’s the goal with my coach.

“If I perform well on the day there is potential for a bronze medal, I am keeping my fingers crossed for that.”

Neill’s selection comes off the back of a stellar season. She produced a lifetime best throw in an IPC Grand Prix event in Dubai back in March this year and followed that up by claiming bronze at the European Championships in Grosseto, Italy, in June.

That added to the 27-year-old’s major medal collection, having also claimed bronze at the World Championships in 2013.

She added: “After getting bronze at the Europeans it (Paralympic selection) was in the back of my mind.

“I have had a good season. I PBd in my first international meeting, progressed, and have been performing really well.”

Speaking about how she will prepare for the event, Neill added: “I finished my last domestic competition this week so now there will be a solid block of training to prepare myself for Rio. I will be doing some acclimatisation. So I will train in the hottest parts of the day.”