STEPHANIE Millward cannot wait to experience the thrill of London 2012 all over again when she goes for glory at the World Para Swimming Championships next week.

Seven years on from those unforgettable Olympic and Paralympic Games, Wiltshire swimmer Millward will be back competing in front of a home crowd when the event starts in the capital on Monday.

The overwhelming support British athletes received remains fresh in Millward’s memory, as do her exploits in the pool at the London Aquatics Centre as she won five medals in home waters.

Millward, who begins her campaign on Monday in the S9 100m freestyle heats, hopes the passionate British crowd can help inspire her to success all over again.

“I am very excited. I love racing so I can’t wait, and with it being in London, we’re going to have a home crowd,” said Millward, who turns 38 this month.

“It is going to be amazing. It’s like having the London Paralympics all over again.

“It’s crazy that it is seven years ago but I can still remember everything as it was such an incredible experience. We had so much support and so many people cheering us on.

“It certainly doesn’t feel like seven years and I can still hear the noise they made for us.

“It is incredible to still be competing. This has been my life for so many years.

“I think I have been part of a Great Britain team for 23 years. I started at 15 racing for the able-bodied team and now here I am all those years later still making the team.”

Although Millward would love nothing more than to be back on the podium in London, a re-classification means relays could well provide her best chance of success.

Millward, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 17, also won five medals in the S8 class at the Rio 2016 Paralympics – including two golds – but has since moved back to her previous S9 category.

“I hope I can challenge for medals. You can only give it your best, can’t you?” said Millward, who also goes in the heats of the 100m backstroke.

“I have gone up a classification so now I am up against people who are slightly faster than I was racing before.

“My competition is harder but I just have to be better.

“The two relays will be very competitive. We have got fantastic teams in the medley relay and the freestyle relay and could do really well, and if I do well in the heats of my individual races, hopefully I will get through to the finals.”

Millward will act as the senior figure in what is overall a young British team, but with Tokyo 2020 just a year away, she hopes they will reap the benefits of this experience.

“It is a brilliant British team but also very young,” said Millward.

“This is a brilliant experience for them as it will get them ready for Tokyo next year.

“I am going to do a speech for the junior swimmers as a welcome to the team, so I am looking forward to that. The whole week is going to be amazing.”