Olivia Breen set to become Team GB's breakout star at the Paralympics as she targets three medals in Rio

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As far as it is possible to predict anything at major sporting championships, here is one guarantee: Olivia Breen's smile and sunny personality will make her a household name at the Paralympics.

And if the British athlete can return from Rio with three medals around her neck, then stardom awaits.

The 20-year-old will compete in the 100m, long jump and relay out in Brazil, but none of this will daunt her in the slightest. After all, she has been overcoming challenges since birth.

Olivia Breen's smile and personality will make her a household name at the Paralympics

The 20-year-old will be going for 100m, long jump and relay gold at the Games in Rio

Livvy and twin brother Daniel were delivered at 33 weeks because the blood flow reaching her in the womb was erratic. Three days into life, she developed a rash that turned out to be meningitis. 

On day eight, her parents were told by doctors there was nothing more they could do for her. It would all come down to the fight inside her tiny body. Within a month, confounding all medical odds, Livvy was out of the hospital.

Aged two, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Her muscles wouldn't co-operate, but Livvy learned to walk by copying what Daniel did. Her speech was slow, but the words would come. She struggled with hearing, but learned to lip-read.

'I had a bad start!' she says with a little laugh and plenty of understatement.

Breen was diagnosed with cerebral palsy aged two before finding athletics at primary school

School could be a drag, but on the sports field, Livvy excelled. 'I remember my first sports day when I was five, I won the race and that was the best day,' she said.

'I've found something I'm good at, because school wasn't my thing. School was boring. I'd think "why am I sat in a classroom?" I shouldn't say that - school is a good thing for children, but everyone is different.

'I just thought running is my thing. I did loads of different sports, like tap dancing, because it helped my balance. Sport has really helped my balance and my cerebral palsy as well.'

Eventually, Livvy settled for athletics, though it took some persuasion to move into Paralympic sport. After all, coming last in races against able-bodied competitors hadn't ever affected her confidence.

'I was asked to do Paralympic sport for a couple of years and my Mum said 'try it.' But I loved competing in the Wessex League for Portsmouth. Coming last but, you know, it makes you the person you are today,' she said.

Since switching to Paralympic sport in 2011, Breen has emerged as a leading T38 athlete

'You have to go through the toughness. I didn't see why I had to go into Paralympic sport when I was in an able-bodied environment. Coming last was hard, but I thought I would get better, get quicker.

'But I'm so glad I picked it up. In November 2011, I went and thought "I love it, this is me." So I got classified in January and in the T38.

'I then went to Croatia in May 2012 and got internationally classified and competed against Margarita Goncharova and winning two silver medals and she was the world champion.'

Selected to compete for Great Britain at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London aged just 16, Livvy came fifth in the 100m, eighth in the 200m and then won bronze in the 4x100m relay.

It took just under a year from making the switch to becoming a Paralympic medallist - an impressive feat.

'You look back when you're having a bad time and think "I've experienced 2012 and had the home crowd and my I won the bronze medal", which was such a proud moment,' she said.

Breen's was in the women's 4x100m T35-38 relay at last year's World Championships in Doha

'To have the support as well, people supporting Paralympic sport. The Olympics had finished and people thought "why not go out and support the Paralympics as well".

'The tickets went really quickly. There was not one seat missing - it was like "wow!"'

The experience of 2012, like with so many British athletes, has offered plenty of fuel for the fires since. 

'In 2012, I was so unknown and inexperienced, I was young,' Livvy adds.

'Now I look back and think "how did I do that? Competing in front of 80,000 people." You have to enjoy the experience.'

There was no going back from there. Livvy joined the Sky Academy Sports Scholarship scheme, who have helped her leave home and live independently in St Albans, close to her training base at the Oakland's Athletics Academy.

Sky have provided not only financial support, but also mentors such as Di Dougherty and former sprinter Darren Campbell, and the chance to study towards a BTEC in Sports Science and Fitness.

Aged just 16, Breen's first major championships was the 2012 Paralympics in London

'I just thought "right, this is it, if I want to go to Rio and want to be on the podium, then I've got to go",' Livvy recalls.

'I was so glad to have done it. I look back and think that was the right thing for me to do. It has given me confidence and independence and I never thought I'd leave home when I was 17 but i did. It has changed my life.'

It has certainly opened doors, too. Livvy spoke on stage alongside Jessica Ennis-Hill and Tom Daley when Team GB's Olympic and Paralympic kit was launched.

Further success in Rio could well make Livvy a star and Russia's ban from the Games has taken care of her main rival in Goncharova, who won three golds in London.

The Russian won gold ahead of Livvy in the 200m and long jump at the European Championship in Grosseto, Italy back in June.

So what does Livvy think of the challenge ahead in Rio?

'I've heard it's a really nice country, lots of blue water around and it seems really holiday like! But It's not going to be a holiday.

'I'll just think of all the hard work I've done, think of all the positives. I've got every right to be here, I've done all the hard work.'

Olivia Breen is supported by the Sky Academy Sports Scholarship scheme, helping young athletes fulfil their potential on the international stage and achieve their goals for Rio 2016: skysports.com/scholarship