JIM Roberts will fly the flag for Powys as part of the Great Britain squad taking part in the Paralympics in Tokyo.

The 33-year-old from Welshpool is part of the national wheelchair rugby squad which will be bidding to return home with a medal from Japan.

It has been a tough year for the national wheelchair rugby squad after UK Sport withdraw funding after the last games in 2016.

Roberts was a successful cross-country runner when he caught bacterial meningitis while at university, resulting in the amputation of both his legs.

A nurse who supported his rehab introduced him to the sport of wheelchair rugby.

Roberts made his GB debut in 2013 and helped the side to a European title, before making his Paralympic debut in 2016.

However at the time the County Times went to press the national squad had just celebrated an opening day win over Canada.

Roberts put in a man of the match display with 26 tries as Great Britain celebrated a 50-47 victory to mark a dream opening day in Tokyo.

The final result also avenged Britain’s semi-final defeat at the hands of the Canadians in Rio de Janeiro in 2016

The players will have little time to recover from the opening day with Great Britain set to take on New Zealand on Thursday in their second pool game.

Whatever happens the 2021 games will represent the end of Roberts’ career having signalled his intent to retire earlier in the year .

He said: “I want to end on a high. I’m not someone to dwell on what has been, I’m looking to the future and the next steps in my life.

“We’ve put in a lot of work over the past four years and now we just want to see the job through.

“I’m definitely going for gold – I’m not someone that wakes up and wants to get silver, that’s not in my psyche.

“I’m going there to win it and it would be lovely to come away with it.

“It has been a rough year for everybody and while I’m sure there will be plenty of people wanting to stick their hands up and win that gold medal, I’ll be doing my best to bring it back.”