Tyler Paul talks to Horsham District Council about the Paralympic Lantern Celebration in Horsham

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• published: 14 Aug 2012
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SUSSEX table tennis star Tyler Paul has told Horsham District Council he was 'absolutely shocked' to be chosen as the West Sussex Flame Ambassador for the Paralympic Lantern Celebration and hopes to be taking part in the Games himself in Rio de Janeiro in four years' time. Tyler, 19, from Worthing, West Sussex, will be travelling to London later this month to pick up the West Sussex piece of the Paralympic Flame and bring it back to the county. The Flame will be officially welcomed to Horsham and West Sussex on Saturday 25 August through a Lantern Celebration Event led by Horsham District Council on behalf of the Ahead of the Game partnership. Speaking about being chosen for the role, Tyler said: "I think it's amazing that I've been selected I was absolutely shocked but I'm really proud to be doing it after the London 2012 Olympics and after all the achievements we've had over there." Tyler is looking forward to the start of the Paralympic Games, which begin in September. He said: "I'm really, really excited. "I know so many of the actual athletes that are competing because I've been to Stoke Mandeville, where there was a big competition where all different people got to try different sports and from then on they've actually got into the Great Britain team." Tyler said winning a bronze medal at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sport Federation World Junior Games 2011 in Dubai last year was one of his greatest achievements. He said: "That was a really good experience, just going over there really and competing. And also, being able to compete in an able bodied league, I competed against able bodied players in a local league. That was an achievement in itself." Tyler credits his success to his time studying at Angmering School in Worthing. He said: "Whilst I was there, I had the opportunity to play loads of different disability sports. "So Angmering School was where I first decided I really enjoyed table tennis. From then on, I went to Stoke Mandeville and started playing and I really picked it up and really want to represent my country in the Paralympics, hopefully!" There will be a range of sporting activities available for people to have a go at during the Paralympic Lantern Celebration event in Horsham Park on Saturday 25 August 2012. For more information about the Paralympic Lantern Celebration event taking place in Horsham, phone 01403 215216, email nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk or visit www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com In case of bad weather, the event will still go ahead but some details and locations may change. Any updates will be posted on Horsham District Council's website (www.horsham.gov.uk) and Facebook and Twitter (www.twitter.com/horshamdc) pages. A West Sussex piece of the Paralympic Flame will be brought to West Sussex from London in a Paralympic Lantern. The event in Horsham is intended to be a small scale celebration. Please note that the Paralympic Torch will run overnight from Stoke Mandeville to London from Tuesday 28 August to Wednesday 29 August for the lighting of the main cauldron at the Olympic Stadium for the Paralympic Games. Ends Transcript: I'm Tyler Paul, I'm 19 years old and my actual sport is table tennis. Tyler, you're going up to London to be West Sussex Flame Ambassdor for the Paralympics, how do you feel about it? I think it's amazing that I've been selected I was absolutely shocked but I'm really proud to be doing it after the London 2012 Olympics and after all the achievements we've had over there. Are you looking forward to going up to London to collect the piece of the Flame on behalf of West Sussex? Yes it should be really exciting, it's going to be really good. What do you think about the Paralympics, are you excited about them? I'm really, really excited. I know so many of the actual athletes that are competing because I've been to Stoke Mandeville, where it was a big competition where all different people got to try different sports and from then on they've actually got into the Great Britain team. What achievements are you most proud of in your sport? For me, it must have been competing in Dubai last year, where I won a bronze medal. That was a really good experience, just going over there really and competing. And also, being able to compete in an able bodied league, I competed against able bodied players in a local league. That was an achievement in itself. Do you have any other plans for the future? My plans are to hopefully make Rio in 2016 and 2020 and further on. I'm really training hard. Thanks Tyler. No problem.