THE Games in Rio haven’t been the happiest experience in Olivia Breen’s career as a Paralympic sprinter.

Olivia, who won a bronze medal four years ago at the London Games, was told she would not run in last Thursday’s 4x100m relay, one of the last events of the Games.

She was set to contest the T35-38 event having finished seventh in the T38 100m final and 12th in the T38 long jump.

The 20-year-old athlete from Liphook tweeted: “Just to let you all know I won’t be doing the relay. I am absolutely gutted but that’s sport! Thank you everyone for all your support!”

Despite making new friends and having her family in Rio to support her, Olivia was frustrated with the last-minute decision to change the team.

Mum Helen said: “It was a sad moment for her. Since London sprinting has changed so much. Olivia’s time of 13.41 seconds in the 100m final would have got her a gold at the home games but now sprinters are so much faster.

“She has worked so hard and made so many sacrifices, but it was not to be.

“Sport is cruel - it is good when you are winning. For Olivia, the whole 10 days in Rio were very stressful, especially since she had pinned her hopes on the relay race and got bitterly disappointed.

“But it was an experience. She is now planning to focus on long jump where she came so close and it could have been so different. It is an open field to succeed, there are different competitors and she is feeling very positive about it.

“She will not have the financial support from the British Athletics funding but still has the support from Sky and Adidas."

Helen added: “Olivia has learned a lot. She is still young and talented as well as positive, friendly and a happy person by nature. But now her frame of mind has changed, she has matured a lot and has hardened up a bit, but she is still smiling.

“We as a family are very proud of her. She has achieved a lot in her life already and she is only 20 years old.

“Olivia is glad to be back home. She is going out with friends, planning a holiday, have a bit of a life, have fun and take stock over the next few weeks.”

Helen concluded: “She will move on and continue to compete, there are no plans to stop. Training during the long winter months are her forte and she will hopefully be able to compete in the Tokyo games in four years time.

“But before then there are the World Championships 2017 in London and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 in Australia.”