LIPHOOK’S Paralympian, Oliva Breen has been presented with the Disability Sport Wales Female Athlete of The Year award.

Olivia, who accepted the award at a ceremony held at the Vale Resort near Cardiff last Friday told The Herald: “I am so honoured to have won Disability Sport Wales Female Athlete of The Year. It was such a great night celebrating the success of disability sport in Wales.”

Following a Commonwealth Games preparation weekend, Olivia will be competing in the long jump at the Spar Athletics Indoor Championships at the Birmingham Arena on Sunday, February 18 and the Müller Indoor Grand Prix at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow on Sunday, February 25.

The 21 year old (pictured) leaves for Australia on March 24, where she is due to compete in the long jump at the Gold Cost 2018 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, April 8 and in the 100m race on Thursday, April 12.

Olivia, who has cerebral palsy, admitted that after only coming 12th in the Rio Paralympics, she had to make a life-changing decision to leave London and move to Loughborough,

She moved into university halls, joined a new training group under coach Aston Moore and transformed herself into a Gold medalist with a triumphant return to the London Olympic Stadium winning a Gold medal in long jump at last summer’s Paralympic Athletic World Championships.

Olivia said: “Five years of extremely hard work and ups and downs have paid off I dug deep and I didn’t give up and the world is a much better place today. I am so excited and honoured to have been selected to represent Wales at my second Commonwealth Games in Australia and am looking forward to wearing the red vest again and I will try my best to make everyone proud!”

The Commonwealth Games is the only international multi-sport event which features an integrated para-sport programme.

The games will see the largest para-sport programme in its history - with up to 300 para-athletes and 38 medal events across seven sports.

The games take place from April 4-15.