Hard work doesn't stop for Clee AC Paralympian racer Jamie Carter

PARALYMPIAN Jamie Carter knows he now has to push on to the next level after his "immense" and "crazy" summer.

The Binbrook wheelchair racer was part of the Greatest Show on Earth last month when he competed for Great Britain at the London Paralympics.

His exploits in the 100m and 200m may have caught the eye of many sports fans – but Carter is not resting on his laurels.

The 17-year-old needs to nail several months of hard training through the winter season to ensure he is strong ahead of next year's international race scene.

Reflecting on his experience at the Olympic Stadium, Carter, a Cleethorpes Athletic Club member, said: "It was immense. It was a crazy time. It is amazing to think I was there on the big stage.

"I am happy with how I did. My aims going into the Games were to get a personal best and to get to a final, and I did both of those things."

Carter, who has cerebral palsy, set a new personal best in the heat of the T34 200m to qualify for the final, in which he came eighth.

He revealed that words of advice from his mentor – Team GB Paralympic legend David Weir – helped him to compete under pressure.

"I was more relaxed in the final than in the heats, as I felt I had nothing to lose.

"David Weir told me to keep calm, keep focused and treat it just like I would any other race."

It is now a case of business as usual for Carter following his super summer.

He has returned to his studies at the Grimsby Institute, where he is taking a level three in sports coaching.

He added: "Just because I did quite well at the Paralympics, I will not be going into events expecting to win them.

"There are lots of good people out there, and there are always new challengers emerging through the ranks.

"I will be starting winter training soon. It is a chance to work on different things.

"You can push the training harder than usual as you do not have competitions to worry about. I find winter training to be more intense.

"There will be quite a bit of strength work to do in the gym, which is all part of it – anything to make you a better athlete."

Carter's next competition is something a bit different – the Jedburgh 10K road race on October 28.

The Scottish town will host a full festival of racing on the day, featuring a half-marathon, a 10k for runners and wheelchair racers, plus a new ultra marathon.

Carter said: "I am hoping to go under 31 minutes. The long stuff like this is good, but it will be hard as all my training this year has been for the sprints."

Carter's next international meeting is likely to be in Switzerland next May.

Then it's all about qualifying for July's International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France.

The event organisers have promised athletes that they can expect optimal sporting conditions when they arrive.

France's second city will stage the Championship between July 19-28.

Laurent Allard, vice president of the Local Organising Committee, said he is confident Lyon will stage one of the best World Championships ever for para-athletes.

"We are determined to make these the most welcoming World Championships ever for athletes and staff," said Allard.

"We want to create the best sporting conditions so that athletes can perform to the best of their ability and show the public the value of Paralympic sport."

After Carter's promising debut on the international stage this year, he will be full of confidence as he seeks to etch his name into another success story next summer.