Judo player Ben Quilter has realised his dream after being selected for Team GB to compete at the Beijing Paralympics.

The 26-year-old Dartford Judo Club member is all the more sweet after he missed out on selection for Athens 2004 and it comes on the back of winning a silver medal at the Visually Impaired German Open in Aschaftenburg in April.

Quilter, who suffers from a degenerative sight condition, is currently training in Japan with the squad and his coach Alan Roberts is under no illusions about the scale of his protege’s achievement.

He said: "It is fantastic. Qualification for the Paralympics is especially difficult as you have to be among the best Europe as each continent is given an allocation of places.

"He is an excellent role model to others because despite his condition, he does not look for sympathy and is an example of what can be achieved."