STEPHANIE Millward has vowed to overcome another monumental ‘hurdle’ after losing her appeal against British Swimming’s decision to axe her funding.

The 35-year-old, who has won nine Paralympic medals, was left out of British Para Swimming’s ‘Podium programme’ for 2017 – a reduced list of 14 athletes who receive the highest level of funding from UK Sport as they work towards competing at Tokyo 2020.

Millward, pictured below, who claimed the first Paralympic golds of her career in the S8 100m backstroke and 34-point 4x100m medley relay in Rio last summer, launched a formal appeal against her exclusion but following a private hearing in London, British Swimming stuck to their guns.

However, Millward, who last month received her MBE from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace, says she will continue swimming and even plans to get a job to help bankroll a Tokyo tilt.

“I got an email with the proper written reasons and it seemed like everybody was on my side but they didn’t see me as having a good chance of winning a gold medal in Tokyo,” said Millward, who had Corsham’s Springfields Leisure Centre renamed in her honour.

“My world record (in the 100m backstroke) was five seconds faster than the second person, so I don’t see why that is.

“I was annoyed because you spend all of your time striving for excellence and winning gold medals at the Paralympics in Rio; that’s excellence. You just get chucked out after that and it goes against everything you know.

“I feel like I’ve got more than enough in me to compete again for the next three-and-a-half years and I want to have a go at it. I don’t want to retire.

“I don’t want to do it too early because I’ve got more than enough left in the tank.

“I want to keep inspiring people to do sport and take up sport.

“I have been looking to get a job. I’ve been applying at sports centres to become a swimming teacher, and I’ve got my (ASA) level one teaching qualification – I’m going for my level two next week – and my level one coaching.

“It’s just another hurdle for me. I’ve had to deal with hurdles my whole career and every time you put one in front of me, I find a way to get over it.”

Millward, who began her career with hopes of competing at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis aged 17.

She did receive good news on the financial front last week after being awarded a £1000 grant at Wiltshire Council’s Business and Sports Gala Dinner.

Grants were also given to fellow Paralympic medal-winning swimmer Aaron Moores and Trowbridge high jumper Tom Gale, plus Chippenham para-cyclist Lauren Booth and Corsham para-badminton player Dan Bethell, two-time world wildwater sprint canoe champion Hannah Brown, from Bradford on Avon, Little Cheverall endurance equestrian rider Carri-Ann Dark and gymnast Cameron Sinden, who is from Chapmanslade.