Emma Wiggs says she’s hellbent on shattering new paracanoeing ground after officially booking her place at a third Paralympic Games.

Wiggs, from Watford, was part of the ParalympicsGB volleyball team who finished eighth at London 2012 before soaring to KL2 paracanoeing gold in Rio four years later.

The 40-year-old is gunning for more KL2 glory in Tokyo this summer and will also bid to medal in the VL2 event – making its debut at the Games.

That would make Wiggs the sport’s first ever double Paralympic champion and the eight-time World Championship gold medallist says she’s relishing a crack at history in the Japanese water.

Wiggs, who is looking to add to the 864 Olympic and Paralympic medals won by Great Britain and Northern Ireland athletes since the advent of National Lottery funding in 1997, said: “This time round there's the Va’a event whereas in Rio, we only had the kayak events. I am fortunate enough to be able to race in two different events.

“So I'm going to hopefully be able to make history and race in the canoe event as well as the kayak event.

“There's very few people in the world that are going to be in a position to try and push for medals in two different events.

“It's really exciting to have that different edge to it and to have something different that we're trying to achieve. So, it would be incredible to be able to be alongside my mate [Jeanette Chippington] making history again.”

Wiggs’ career in the water is fuelled by UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme which allows her to train full-time, access the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering technology, science and medical support.

She is one of eight paracanoeists set to descend on Japan, with all eight arriving in the sport from other previous disciplines such as volleyball, swimming and athletics.

She added: “Because of the technical elements and the power and the speed element, our sport really requires absolute commitment to training six days a week.  

“So, I think if you haven't been in other sports, that would be quite a shock to the system and so I think it lends itself to people that have known that lifestyle.

“But it is still a step up for anybody that then comes in to see the level of training and commitment that's required.”

Wiggs is one of more than 1,000 athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme and believes ParalympicsGB are perfectly poised to take Tokyo by storm.

“The team we have built is an incredibly talented team and to be a part of that is really exciting,” she said.

“Equally, I think it is really humbling to know that there are people that are staying at home who didn't make the team who are equally talented to be pushing for medals, too.

“I feel very fortunate to be one of those eight that are on the plane.”

No one does more to support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes than National Lottery players, who raise around £30 million each week for good causes. Discover the positive impact playing the National Lottery has on sport at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and get involved by using the hashtags: #TNLAthletes #TracktoTokyo