Super Stretton scoops silver at the European Para-Archery Championships

Jess, 16, has cerebral palsy and has been competing in the W1 category for archery since 2013. She took up the sport after taking part in a have-a-go session when she was 12.

The Longdean School pupil won a gold medal for Great Britain at the International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Junior Games in 2014, as well as being part of the GB team who won bronze.

Jess won a gold medal at the Dutch Para world-ranking event in Almere in May 2015 and an individual bronze medal at the World Archery Para Championships in Germany in 2015, with her latest silver medal further strengthening her ever-growing reputation as one of GB’s leading lights in the sport.

After their impressive display in France – finishing second out of 31 countries in the overall medals table – the GB team also secured an extra place at the Paralympics, bringing the total GB Para-Archery quota places to 10.

Michael Peart, Paralympic coach at Archery GB, said: “We had high hopes for the team travelling to France and they certainly met expectations.

“There was a fantastic level of shooting overall at the tournament and it is testament to both the team and individual medallists that they saw off the competition and secured a great medal haul, especially in such challenging weather conditions.

“With less than six months until the Paralympic Games it is vital that our archers have the opportunity to practice competing in a high pressured environment and there was a great level of focus throughout the squad.

“We hope to build on everything that we’ve learned during the tournament and use this to hone the team’s skills in the build-up to Rio.”

The final selection shoot for athletes aiming to get their name on the team-sheet for ParalympicsGB will take place in early June and the selected athletes will subsequently be announced by the British Paralympic Association.