CHESTER’S Nathan Maguire has been called into the para squad who will represent England in athletics at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia next April.

Maguire, 20, finalist at the World Para Athletics Championships in London last summer, will join Richard Chiassaro in the T54 1,500m event on the Gold Coast.

Maguire hails from Ashton Hayes and was a former pupil at Helsby High School. He now lives in Stockport and his club is Halton and Frodsham.

The line-up includes Paralympic and World champions Sophie Hahn and Kadeena Cox, who will be competing at their first Commonwealth Games in the T38 100m. Both starred in London; Hahn winning double gold in the T38 100m and 200m, while Cox sealed the T38 400m title along with winning two further medals.

They will be joined by Katrina Hart and Jade Jones, who will be looking to add to their previous Commonwealth Games experiences on the Gold Coast. Jones won a bronze medal in Glasgow 2014, while Hart claimed the gold medal in the women's 100m T37 event in Delhi 2010.

Triple World champion, Kadeena Cox, said: “I am delighted to be called-up to the England team for the Commonwealth Games.

“I’ve been lucky enough to compete at Paralympic and World Para Athletics Championships so to get a chance to compete at these Games as well is very special and I can’t wait to race in the Gold Coast.”

“It is fantastic that the para programme has grown at the Commonwealth Games; seeing such inclusivity between able bodied and para athletes. We have a really strong team. After the success of the World Para Athletics Championships earlier this year, it is great to have the opportunity to compete on the big stage again and hopefully inspire new fans to the sport.”

Team England will send a team of around 600 athletes and staff in what will be England’s largest ever team to represent the nation in an overseas sporting event.

The team will compete in 18 sports, including 38 para medal events.

Sarah Winckless, Chef de Mission for Commonwealth Games England, said: “This is the largest para programme that the Commonwealth Games has ever delivered, and I am very pleased to be welcoming these athletes as part Team England.

“They will join the 75 athletes who were announced earlier this year, and will be our largest group of athletes from one sport.”