McCarroll all set for team GB place for 2012

Dec 9 2009 By Tim Edwards, Harrow Observer

MARC McCarroll says it would be a 'dream come true' to represent Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

The Harrow-born wheelchair tennis star was not up to standard for last year's Games in Beijing, but he travelled to the Far East with five other 2012 hopefuls to get a taste of the spectacle.

"It allowed us a real insight into the Games and it was definitely one of the best experiences of my life," said the 24-year-old, now based in Ickenham. "To get to London I have to be within a certain ranking criteria, so I've got tournaments coming up which will hopefully push me towards that.

"2009 has been a good year for me. I've won three tournaments on the NEC Tour calendar, so that's all good experience for learning how to win. Each year I'm hoping to build on my ranking to reach the qualifi-cation cut-off."

McCarroll, now number three British men's singles player, having enjoyed a spell at number one earlier in the year, took up wheelchair tennis four years ago after breaking his back in a car accident two years earlier.He is currently ranked 35 in the ITF world rankings and is well on his way to reaching the required 2012 qualification standard.

If selected, he faces a tough challenge bettering the Beijing record of 102 medals, 42 of them gold. Fellow wheelchair tennis player Peter Norfolk won a second successive quad singles gold after annihilating fourth seed Johan Andersson.

"Having seen the likes of Peter Norfolk and the rest of the team compete in front of 10,000 fans it really makes you want to be out there yourself, and at the moment that's what I'm gearing everything towards," said McCarroll.

"To compete in front of a home crowd in London would mean so much just because it would be my first Paralympics, and with all my friends and family and other supporters behind me it would be a dream come true."