Britain's wheelchair rugby star Kylie Grimes: "I want so much from my life"

Five years on from competing solo at Rio 2016, Kylie Grimes is returning to the Great Britain wheelchair rugby team in a bid to win gold in Tokyo.

Grimes will be the only woman on a team of 12-players called up to the squad - but that doesn't faze her.

The 33-year-old has a formidable approach to life and sport; and hopes she can use that to inspire more women to get involved.

With the feeling of empowerment and desire to get the most out of life on her side, there's no stopping Grimes when she has her heart set on something.

Kylie Grimes: A mentality larger than life

Grimes has a specific rule when it comes to life: nothing is a failure.

The wheelchair rugby star has unwavering mental strength in the face of success or adversity.

"I literally want so much from my life - I want those gold medals, I want to travel the world, I want to meet people, I want to be the best version of my life," she told Olympics.com.

"And to do that, you've got to accept that not everything goes smoothly and you don't always win.

"At the end of the day, I don't see anything as a failure - nothing in this world is a failure.

"It's a learning curve, it's a lesson - it's something there to make you more resilient."

Why playing wheelchair rugby empowers Grimes

As the only woman of a 12-player squad heading to Tokyo, Grimes has her sights set on inspiring female players of the future with her participation.

"I'm absolutely empowered to be a female in this sport," she told PA News.

"Some people say to me 'do you feel intimidated? Nervous?' not at all.

"I absolutely love it - I feel strong, I feel empowered every day to play this sport."

And while Grimes says its 'amazing' to be involved in the team, she is also keen to encourage other women to get involved.

"Trying to get other women involved is one of my biggest aims," she said.

"I love being a role model for people; I want people to be better, to do more, to see what they can do with their lives."

Tokyo-bound for third Paralympic Games

After competing at both London 2012 and Rio 2016, Grimes will return for what will be her third Paralympic Games.

In 2012, she was part of the wheelchair rugby team who finished fifth.

But four years on in Brazil, she made the decision to compete individually in the club throw.

For Tokyo 2020, Grimes returns to the wheelchair rugby side vying for gold.

And there's nothing quite like working in a team to reach a collective goal for Grimes, who thrives on the camaraderie.

"When you're playing, you're not male, you're not female and that's exactly how it should be - it's incredible," she told Olympics.com.

"And that camaraderie, that energy, that testosterone and the women as well, throw it all together and it's such an unusual mix and it's such an incredible sport to get everybody playing with a wide range of disabilities."

Even though the podium would be an achievement in itself, Grimes and her team are heading to Tokyo with the aim of winning a Paralympic gold.