Two Welsh athletes selected for Cycling, they are amongst an 18-strong Para-Cycling team announced today. The selected athletes are:

Mark Colborne from Tredegar, Monmouthshire.
Rachel Morris (born: Guildford. Lives: Farnham, Surrey, family from Milford Haven)

This will be Colbournes’ first Paralympic Games, the 2012 World Championships gold medallist started of his career at the Velodrome, Newport. Anthony Hughes, Disability Sport Wales National Performance Manager said of his selection: "Mark’s selection is an amazing achievement. From the first time I met Mark, I always knew he would go on to achieve at the highest levels. A huge thanks to Neil Smith for developing Mark at the critical stage of his career when he first started training in our academy at the Wales National Velodrome, Newport. He shows huge drive, determination and hard work and is a great example of our talent pathway in Wales."

Also selected for a second consecutive Games is handcyclist Rachel Morris, who won gold in the Time Trial.

She commented today: "I am so happy that all the hard work, dedication & focus has paid off, and I have been selected for London 2012 Paralympic Games! To be competing in a home Paralympics is more than the majority of elite athletes will ever experience and having the opportunity to perform in front of your country and people that have meant a lot to me on my journey in life and also sport means more than I can put into words.

"I want to take the opportunity to say a big thank you to the crowds that will be supporting us and helping us perform to our maximum potential and to all those who have purchased lottery tickets and helped me to be able to train as a full time athlete."

Hughes said of Rachel’s’ selection today: Rachel will be competing at her second Paralympic Games. She is a proven rider, who knows what it takes to succeed, and I have no doubt that she will go on to make both herself, family and friends based in Milford Haven extremely proud. When things are tough, this young lady digs deep and rises to a challenge. She will be one I will watch with great interest at the Games."

Chef de Mission of the ParalympicsGB team for London 2012, which is anticipated to be around 300 athletes in total, is Craig Hunter. He congratulated the cyclists today, saying

"Cycling was one of our highest performing sports in Beijing and the squad has continued to win medals on both the track and the road throughout the last three years. This is an exceptional group of athletes that we can today confirm will be joining ParalympicsGB, and I am very proud that they will be representing Britain at the Paralympics this year".

Gareth Sheppard, Performance Manager for the British Para-Cycling team, congratulated his cyclists, saying: "We're taking our largest ever team to the London Games and are looking forward to defending the many titles won in Beijing. It'll be tough trying to equal 17 gold medals and our athletes realise the expectation on their shoulders. Having the whole of the country behind them will really help us and we are confident of delivering some world class performances."