Former BTC student and T20 middle distance specialist Hannah Taunton has been selected for this year’s Paralympic Games by Team GB to compete in this year’s Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.

Hannah, who has a speech and language disorder and studied Horticulture at our Cannington campus, comments,

I am very excited and proud to be representing my country.

After discovering a love of running when she first went to secondary school, and continuing to run whilst studying at the College’s Cannington campus, Hannah went on to win the Taunton 10k three times and the Taunton Half Marathon in 2019.

This is not the first time that Hannah has the honour of representing her country at a major championship; in 2019 she was chosen to represent GB in Dubai at the Para World Championships and came 5th in the World. Following this incredible achievement, British Athletics then offered Hannah a place on the World Class Programme, enabling her to buy sports equipment and to travel to competitions.

Hannah says,

I was chosen for the GB Team again in June 2021 when I competed in the Para European Championships and came 4th.

Running is a passion for me. I never tire of training or racing and I have made some great friends through the sport.

The 16th Summer Paralympics will be the second time the Games have been hosted by the Japanese capital. The Games were postponed by a year due to Covid-19, with the new dates for the now 2021 Paralympic Games being 24 August – 5 September.

All at Bridgwater & Taunton College will be wishing Hannah well as she competes in the T20 1500m on Friday 3 September at 2.26am.