TWO students, who have both represented their country, have been taken on by Channel 4’s production team for the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

Adam Lione, who played for England’s Partially Sighted Futsal team, and Ella Beaumont, who has represented Great Britain in wheelchair basketball, are among just 24 other disabled young people selected for the Rio Production Training Scheme.

The two University of Worcester students will spend the next year working at Sunset & Vine, the largest independent sport production company in the country, who produced all of Channel 4's content at London 2012, with the potential to go to Rio next year to be part of the Channel 4 coverage of the Games.

Adam, aged 21, who has just completed his degree in Journalism, said: “I’m really proud to get a place on the Channel 4 scheme for Rio as I know places were extremely competitive. I’m very passionate about disability sport.

"I’m also really glad I’ve been able to get straight in to the industry and a highly prestigious company.

"I’m hoping that working with Sunset & Vine for 12 months will give me a real insight in to the preparation that goes in to covering a worldwide event.”

Two years ago, Adam represented England’s Partially Sighted Futsal team at the World Championships in Japan and, a year later, at the European Championships in Italy. He was offered a scholarship to study at the University.

Last year, while doing work experience on the sports desk at the Basildon Evening Echo, Adam founded the University’s Futsal Society and oversaw the team’s success through its winning game in Varsity.

“To represent England at two international tournaments and be offered a dream job straight away after completing my degree is something I couldn't have imagined when first coming to Worcester,” he said.

Ella, 20, has just completed the second year of her degree in Sports Coaching Science and is now taking a year out for this placement.

“When I applied for this scheme, I never dreamt I would be successful,” she said. “This is a really amazing opportunity. I know a lot about sport, and know a lot of disabled athletes. But I don’t know much about the media side, so it’s going to be really exciting to learn.”

She added: “It will be fantastic if the GB Wheelchair Basketball team make it to Rio and I get to be there with many of my former team mates to report on their progress.”

Ella started playing wheelchair basketball when she was around 11 years old. She represented GB at the very first U25 women’s wheelchair basketball World Championships in Canada, securing a bronze medal.