Great Yarmouth swimmer Jessica-Jane Applegate couldn't hide her excitement after her place in Team GB's Paralympic squad this summer was confirmed yesterday.

With only 141 days to go until the opening ceremony of the London Games, the British Paralympic Association announced its list of 16 athletes plus a further 26 nominations from British Swimming, who may yet be added to the squad.

But Applegate's place is already asssured – and the UEA City of Norwich swimmer cannot wait.

'It is completely amazing to make the Paralympic team,' beamed the 15-year-old. 'I felt over the moon when I achieved my qualifying time in London and doing it in Sheffield felt even better.

'I'm excited to compete in London because I know the pool and the area, so it will be really good. The home crowd will be great.'

Paralympics GB chef de mission Craig Hunter sent his congratulations.

'It is great news that the Paralympics GB team for London will be bolstered by such a strong squad of swimmers.

'Swimming has historically been a sport in which British Paralympians excel and the team have produced some outstanding performances at World and European level since Beijing. With such a strong team selected today, I am confident that they will continue their impressive record in London and I am looking forward to seeing them all compete for Paralympics GB.'

National Performance Director John Atkinson said: 'I am really pleased to see a strong squad of athletes set to represent Paralympics GB at this year's home Games. We have a great mix of youth and experience within this group and with 45pc of the athletes preparing to take part in their first Games, I am sure our experienced athletes will help them settle into the routine of a Paralympic Games.

'We will have the chance to get together as a team in Majorca to get some excellent training under their belts before the final stages of preparation begin.

'I am excited as we move into the next phase in our Paralympic cycle and I will be looking for the athletes to improve on their performances between now and the Games.'

The swimming team has historically been one of the highest performing teams for Paralympics GB: the team won 41 medals in Beijing in total, 11 of them gold, finishing fourth on the swimming medal table, and also finished second and third on the table in Athens and Sydney respectively.