WILTSHIRE Paralympic champion Stephanie Millward returned to the podium for the first time since her Rio heroics last summer at the British Para-Swimming International in Sheffield last night.

Box's Millward picked up a silver medal in the women's multi-classification 100m freestyle, clocking 1:06.62 to finish behind Great Britain teammate Hannah Russell on the opening evening of the four-day event.

The 35-year-old, who has won nine Paralympic medals, has vowed to continue her pool career despite being axed from UK Sport's highest level of funding earlier this year.

Millward, who received an MBE from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace post-Rio, has vowed to try and swim on to Tokyo in 2020 despite being left out of British Para Swimming’s ‘Podium programme’ for 2017 – a reduced list of 14 athletes who receive the highest level of funding.

Millward 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 it was rejected.

The WIltshire competitor is also due to start Monday's Big T Triathlon event in Trowbridge.