It’s said in sport that if you’re good enough then you’re old enough. That’s certainly an adage that applies to Bly Twomey, who at 14 is preparing for her first Paralympic Games.

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Bly’s rise has been meteoric, from taking on club-mate Will Bayley when he walked into Brighton TTC with a Tokyo silver medal around his neck three years ago to partnering him in the mixed doubles at a home European Championships in Sheffield last year.

She only made her international debut in March 2023, winning her first medal – a bronze – two months later at the Polish Open. A European bronze followed in Class 7 Women’s Singles, and her first gold came in the French Open, beating the Chinese world No 3 in the process.

She has already reached No 4 in the world herself – no wonder Bayley called her “the most talented player I’ve ever seen” in a recent BBC Sport feature on Bly.

Her age and her ambition are both illustrated by one reply during in our interview with Bly at the recent preparation camp at the BPTT base in Sheffield, which you can watch below.

She said: “It’s the school holiday, so I’ve been playing a lot more. I’ve been playing a lot and I think it’s just amazing. And I think I’m playing so well, maybe I could win a medal.”

She added: “It feels amazing at such a young age to know that I’m going so soon (to a Paralympics). I’m just really happy and excited.

“It still hasn’t hit me really, but I just think when I got the message (confirming selection), it was just amazing because I didn’t think I’d do it at such a young age. I’m really proud to go to the Paralympics.”

With his stellar career, Bayley is about as good a role model as it’s possible to have, but Bly also looks for inspiration to Class 17 Mixed partner Josh Stacey and, particularly, Fliss Pickard, with whom she will play Class 14 Women’s Doubles.

“She inspires me so much and she’s just an amazing player,” said Bly. “When I’m with her she just brings joy to the game because she just has fun all the time. She’s an amazing player.”

More support and encouragement comes from the rest of the squad: “A lot of them have just told me it’s going to be amazing and just have fun and enjoy it,” she says.

And if there are difficult moments, as there are sure to be at the pinnacle of world sport, Bly will be among friends not just in the squad but in the arena as well – Brighton TTC will have an army of 120 spectators getting behind ParalympicsGB from the stands.

“I just think that’s just amazing to know that they’re there for me and Will and there when we need them,” said Bly. “It’s going to be great.

“Literally all of my family are going to support me and I’m really happy to know that they’re there for me. Everyone’s going to be there and it’s just going to be an amazing atmosphere.”

With age on her side, there could be many more Paralympics ahead and Bly added: “I’m hoping to maybe just get a medal, but I just want to see what the atmosphere is and see how everything goes.

“I just think this one is just a start and I’m really excited for the next few, it’s going to be great. I’ve always wanted to go to the Paralympics, that’s been my dream since I was, like, three years old.

“If I talked to my younger self, I would probably just think it’s a joke. I wouldn’t think I’d be going to the Paralympics. So, I’m really proud of myself.”