IT may be her first senior international call-up for Berkshire’s Kayla Bell – but she is a woman on a mission at this month’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Germany and is determined to make her mark by landing silverware.

The British squad offers has a blend of youth and experience in Germany, with eight of the 12 having represented GB at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

The 12 athletes selected make up a youthful squad, with an average age of just 23 but despite this Bell, 22, is hopeful of finishing in the medals, building on their fifth-place result from four years ago.

The team head into the World Championships in excellent form, winning the recent Lyon Wheelchair Basketball Competition without losing a game.

And Bell insists the squad is in confident mood as they aim to make their mark in Germany, she said: “I’m buzzing, it’s my first selection for the senior squad so for it to be World Championships, I can’t wait.

“I took part in the junior Europeans, I think the difference will be that it’s a much bigger stage and crowds, and its seniors so it’s another level.

“The more experienced players in the team have been really nice, they’ve given me tips and they’re really happy that I’ve been selected so it was a really nice feeling, they’re helping me treat it like any other tournament.

“My aspirations are just to enjoy it really, that’s the only thing I want to achieve.

“The Dutch are the toughest opponent, they’re in our pool and they’re a very strong team full of really strong individuals.

“we haven’t set specific targets for the tournament but of course it would be fantastic to return home with a medal – that would be unbelievable.”

Bell, who plays for the Sheffield Steelers, insists Britain are as confident as they can be for the competition in Hamburg and revealed the preparation has been meticulous.

“I got into wheelchair basketball through a teaching assistant when I was in primary school, I needed to find an outlet for outside of school to socialise, so they suggested the sport and I’ve never looked back,” she added.

“I had no idea I’d make it into the GB team, I was really poor at the start, I just took one week at a time and now I’m here.

“And that’s why it means so much that we have prepared so well and are ready to go and take on the world’s best in Germany.

“For our team I’d say our goals were to get to the semi-finals and take it from there, but I’d really like to come back with a medal.

“It’s a huge event. Our confidence is really good, we’ve had a few competitions lately against really strong teams, so it’s been good prep for the World Champs.”

#TogetherWeAreGB & Follow the action at www.britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk