The talented 25-year-old, who won a bronze medal in the T44 200 metres for Canada at the Beijing Games in 2008, is also an accomplished long jumper and will train regularly in Britain in the build-up to London.
 
Reid - who is married to Canadian T53 wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos - is eligible to compete for Britain as her parents are both British and settled in Toronto when Reid was just four.

Reid is actually eligible to compete for three countries as she also has a New Zealand passport having been born there while her mother, who is from Durham, was accompanying her husband, who is from Glasgow, on a business trip.
 
She said: “UKA has committed to excellence in both Paralympic and Olympic programmes with facilities, coaching and support to back it up.

"I am excited to experience being part of the home team in London 2012, ironically I will have a larger cheer in the crowd here than where I grew up as all my extended family is British."
 
Reid who will work closely with Lee Valley Performance Centre director Dan Pfaff will continue to live in Dallas, Texas, outside of her busy training schedule.
 
Reid is close to Peter Eriksson, UK Athletics Paralympic head coach, who used to work in Canada.

He said: "I have known Stefanie for some time as I previously worked with her husband Brent before coming to the UK.
 
"It is great for the UK that she will compete for us - we currently do not have any athlete in her class at that level but I am sure her presence will inspire developing athletes.

"She has the potential win two medals in London and I know she will make a great addition to the team."

Reid became a below-the-knee amputee when she was 16 when, while tubing at a friend’s cottage, she lost foot in a boating  accident to engine propellers.

Reid, who used to captain the rugby, basketball, and volleyball teams at high school, and also used to compete in swimming and cross country, took up athletes seriously while studying at Queen's University in Ontario, where she graduated with a BScH in Biochemistry/Life Sciences.

Reid, who also has a graduate diploma in theology, has put plans to study medicine on hold while she pursues her athletics caereer.

She said: "I am now at a place where I am able to run and long jump professionally.

"I have put my dreams of medical school on hold because I wake up every morning wanting nothing more than to be flying around a track. "