PARALYMPICS star Maria Lyle has been named in the Great Britain squad for the World Para Athletics Championships.

Sprint ace Lyle won three medals at the Rio Paralympics last summer and was confirmed among the squad for the championships in London next month.

The 17-year-old, a former Dunbar Grammar School pupil, is one of 21 medallists from Rio picked for the 49-strong squad.

Now studying at Oaklands College in St Albans, Lyle was clear about her aims for the competition.

She told Courier Sport: “It’s an exciting time ahead with the championships in less than a month. My aim for the championships is to win an individual medal.

“To win a gold will be very challenging but I wouldn’t rule it out completely.

“I’m currently ranked second in the world so perhaps a silver medal is more in my grasp. However, rankings don’t matter on the day. It is about who can perform under pressure and execute their own race model.”

At the last instalment of the championships, in Doha two years ago, Lyle claimed silver, but will hope to overhaul long-time rival Isis Holt from Australia and claim the gold medal.

By her own high standards, Lyle confessed she was “not where I want to be” with the championships less than a month away, and labelled her season to date as only “all right”.

She added: “I just have to make the most of the time I have left to put myself in the best position to do well.”

But Paula Dunn, British Athletics’ para athletics head coach, is looking forward to the championships, and is pleased with the quality of the GB squad.

She said: “We have selected a very strong team and I am delighted to see so many medallists from Rio lining up alongside some new faces.

“Having a home World Championship is very special for all the athletes, coaches and team staff, so we are all very honoured to be representing the British team this summer.

“We have selected five athletes who topped the podium at the Paralympic Games in 2012, so they have valuable experience of a home championship.

“I expect the British public will throw their support behind the team.”