David Weir will look to add to his six Paralympic titles in Rio ©Getty Images

Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir has been named by the British Paralympic Association in their athletics team for Rio 2016.

The 37-year-old, winner of four gold medals in front of a home crowd at London 2012, will be looking to replicate his achievement at the fifth Paralympic Games of his career.

Weir was one of 13 track and field athletes named by the BPA in their first selection wave in the build-up to the Games.

A full 50 member squad is due to be revealed in July

“My first appearance came back in 1996 and the feeling of representing my country is as strong as it was when I put on the British vest in Atlanta,” Weir, who also won two Paralympic gold medals at Beijing 2008, said.

“My performances on the track at the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) Athletics European Championships showed that I’m still competitive with the best in the world and will be looking to put myself amongst the medals once again in Rio.

“London 2012 was beyond my wildest expectations, so to have the opportunity to go and do it all again at my fifth Games fills me with huge excitement.

“The team has gone from strength-to-strength in the last few years and I’m sure we’ll show once again that we’re a force to be reckoned with.”

Two-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft has been named in the team
Two-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft has been named in the team ©Getty Images

Double Paralympic and three-time World Championship gold medallist Hannah Cockroft has also been named in the team, along with Aled Davies and Richard Whitehead, who claimed shot put and men’s T42 200 metres titles at London 2012 respectively.

Teenagers Sophie Hahn and Maria Lyle will make their Paralympic Games debuts, as well as Georgina Hermitage, a double gold medallist in the T37 400m and T35-38 4x100m relay at the IPC World Athletics Championships in Doha last year.

Mel Nicholls, Hollie Arnold, Paul Blake, Dan Bramall, Jonathan Broom-Edwards and Jo Butterfield complete the initial selection.

“It’s really exciting to be in a position to announce the first group of athletes for the Paralympic Games,” Paula Dunn, team leader for Para-athletics, said.

“Rio has been the main focus for athletes since London 2012 and they have consistently shown that they are ready to take on the world’s best in September.

“Last year in Doha we secured our largest haul of medals since 1998, which highlights the strength in depth across the whole spectrum of events.”