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Graeme Ballard determined to return to peak fitness ahead of new season
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Posted: Monday 30th November 2009 | 14:09
BRITISH Paralympian Graeme Ballard insists his 2009 season was a job well done but with London 2012 looming large the sprint star won't be taking his foot off the gas just yet.


MORE TO COME: British Paralympian Graeme Ballard insists he is primed for a big season in 2010

After a disappointing showing at the Beijing Paralympics - Ballard finished sixth in the 200m in China - the 30-year-old saw his UK Athletics funding slashed completely.


But the Chorley AC star put that behind him this summer by notching the 200m qualification time for next year's IPC World Championships in New Zealand.

Ballard won bronze at his debut Paralympics in Athens in 2004 and despite a return to form this summer with a bronze at the Aviva London Grand Prix and two fourth-places at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, the sprinter admits there is much more to come.

"2009 has not been too bad to be honest," said Ballard. "I've managed to get the 200m qualifying time for the World Games in New Zealand in 2011 which was my main aim after Beijing.

"My training has been going pretty well, although I've been struggling with a back injury on and off since the Paralympics, so I've had that to contend with.

"But next year I want to try and get back to full fitness and see where it takes me. I desperately want to try and get back to where I was because I've won medals at the Paralympics before.

"I'm really looking forward to next year - it's going to be hard and tough for me but I'm back into the training and it seems to be going well."

The countdown to London 2012 reaches 1000 days on December 1, with Ballard aiming to make his third appearance on the Paralympic stage.

And the Chorley AC ace admits he is struggling to keep the showpiece tournament out of his mind.

"I'm really excited about 2012," added Ballard - who lowered his 200m personal best to 25.5 seconds at a Pendle AC Open Meeting on September 6.

"To have a Paralympics in your home country is pretty special and I think everyone wants to put on a good show. All of us want to do well in front of the home crowd and I'm just the same."