Love focusing on improving her skills further to seal that elusive Rio 2016 spot

The 25-year-old was a part of the Great Britain women’s wheelchair basketball team that secured bronze at this year’s European Championships earlier this month.

Making her debut for Great Britain back in February, Love has gone from strength to strength in terms of her chair skills and ball handling.

And having first taken up the sport in 2013, Love is focusing on improving her skills further to seal that elusive Rio 2016 spot.

She said: “As an individual, I am working on getting better; I am really focusing on improving my chair skills and ball handling, I am working hard to improve my game as a whole.

“It is my goal to be chosen for Rio, I was selected for the Euros but people have a tendency to creep up when being selected for the Olympics."

“I have only been playing for a year but I have to prove myself and to the coaches that if they do not take me they will not get a medal."

“It is quite cut throat but I am working hard to make sure I get a slot.”

Love’s wheelchair basketball adventure began at Edinburgh Napier University, but it is not only her individual skills she is focusing on.

“It is pretty much full time training with Great Britain, at the moment it is Monday to Friday training over 20 hours a week,” she added.

“Training started back this morning and we had a fitness test. It was great to see all the girls back and we are just raring to go for Rio next year."

“Team wise we are working together as a team to make sure we get the best position we can."

“We want a spot on the podium; we want to put ourselves up against the strongest teams to give us the best chance."

“In the super leagues the teams are mostly men so it means we are going up against stronger opposition which can only help us improve.”

SSE’s Next Generation programme partners with SportsAid to provide financial support and training to the sports stars of the future. Keep up to date with the latest @SSENextGen