British Paralympic champion Pearson switches to cycling for Rio 2016

Josie Pearson is hoping to compete in hand cycling at the Rio 2016 Paralympics ©Getty Images

British Paralympic champion Josie Pearson looks set to become the first female athlete to compete at three consecutive Games in three different sports after making the switch to hand-cycling for Rio 2016.

The 29-year-old was a member of Great Britain’s wheelchair rugby squad at Beijing 2008 and switched to athletics ahead of London 2012, where she won the gold medal in the F51/52/53 discus with a world record throw of 6.58 metres.

Pearson, who also won discus gold at the Lyon 2013 International Paralympic Committee World Championships, made the decision to move over to hand-cycling as her discus event is no longer part of the Paralympic programme for Rio 2016.

She has made it onto the British Cycling Para Podium Programme and has been training during the winter season in the hope of securing a place at next year’s Games in Brazil, where she would compete in the H1 time trials racing over distances of between 15 and 20 kilometres.

“Last year the athletics programme for 2016 was completely restructured and unfortunately my discus event was taken out,” Pearson told Wales Online.

“British Cycling approached me as part of the talent transfer programme and asked if I wanted to give it a go.

“I jumped at the chance really and in the last two or three months I've been set up with British Cycling and I've done all the training and the tests.

“As of April 1, I've been involved with the team.”

Josie Pearson won the gold medal in the F51/52/53 discus at the London 2012 Paralympic Games but is now concentrating on cycling for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

With Rio 2016 fast approaching, Pearson is aware she has little time to perfect her skills in her new sport, but is confident it is a very realistic goal and has her sights on another Paralympic medal.

“Any sort of medal would be amazing really - I train to win so that's what I'm aiming for,” she added.

“I don't train to try and finish fourth or fifth.

“If I'd stuck with my athletics the odds of winning a gold would have been very slim because the restructuring would have meant I'd be competing against athletes who are more able than me.

“A medal wouldn't have been as readily available.

“So I know I've been given a great opportunity.

“I'll give it everything in my power to be successful and to make a medal achievable.

“I'll put all my dedication into it and do everything correctly and if I do that, then the sky's the limit really.”