IT has been quite a year for Middlewich swimmer Poppy Maskill.

Having become a household name thanks to her record-smashing exploits at the Paralympic Games, the 19-year-old has been honoured by the Sports Journalists’ Association.

The SJA have named the ParalympicsGB star – formerly of both Northwich Centurions Swimming Club and Winsford Swim Team – as their Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year as part of their British Sports Awards.

Along with teenage darts sensation Luke Littler, who was named as the Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year, Maskill has been awarded with the Peter Wilson Trophy.

Having won an astonishing five medals in Paris, including three golds, in the S14 category, Maskill finished the games as ParalympicsGB’s most decorated athlete alongside fellow swimmer Alice Tai, who was also a winner in the awards as she took home the National Lottery Spirit of Sport prize.

Maskill achieved a world record time in the S14 women’s 100m butterfly on August 29, as well as her fastest time of the year in the S14 women’s 200m freestyle where she secured silver.

Her other golds came in the S14 women’s 100m backstroke and the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay alongside William Ellard, Rhys Darbey and Olivia Newman-Baronius, with her other silver coming in the S14 women’s 200m individual medley.

Maskill’s success saw her chosen as one of two ParalympicsGB flag-bearers for the closing ceremony alongside para-taekwondo athlete Matt Bush.