THERE may be a few aspects of the sport that play on her nerves, but Julie shows no fear as she prepares to take the plunge.

From the safety of dry land, she proclaims confidently, "I know how to swim".

But a flicker of doubt crosses the brow of the Evening Times para-sports champion as she stands, goggles on, at the edge of the pool.

Julie's disability affects her co-ordination and means she has a weakness in her arms.

This makes swimming on her back easier.

With a splash she launches into the pool and swims up and down to show coach Paul Wilson what she can do.

She has a lane to herself at Scotstoun Swimming Pool, and perched on the edge, is rising star Stefan Hoggan.

The 21-year-old para-athlete trains with Carnegie Swimming Club in Dunfermline but has headed to Glasgow for the day to offer a few tips to Julie.

He has his eyes firmly focused on Glasgow 2014 and, further afield, the Paralympics in Rio.

Paul, disability performance development manager for Scottish Swimming, guides Julie from the sideline - shouting instructions to improve her technique.

Seeing she is confident with back stroke, he challenges her to try breast stroke which she takes to well. He explains to Julie that a lot of people with cerebral palsy find it easier to swim on their backs.

Julie, 26, from Jordanhill, said: "I feel reassured because I thought if you can't do a front stroke that makes you completely useless, but there are actually a lot of other people with cerebral palsy that can do the back stroke better than front stroke.

"I had that same difficulty so I now realise it, that's boosted my confidence. When I come swimming on my own I feel a bit frustrated just doing the front stroke and I prefer to do the back stroke, but when you are doing the back stroke you make more splashes.

"It gave me reassurance when Paul said that other people with cerebral palsy have the same difficulties that I have experienced."

While the announcement that Scotland would be the host country for the Commonwealth Games has not seen a major boost in the numbers of people with disabilities hitting the pool, Paul said, it has raised the profile of disability swimming within the sporting community.

Stefan believes the high profile coverage of London 2012 has transformed disability sport in Britain and is convinced the Games will do even more to improve integration in Scotland.

And Paul believes the real impact of the Games has been the development of integration at swimming club level.

He said: "Where we have seen a difference is the recognition of the sport and the desire of swimming teachers and swimming coaches to get involved with the sport.

"The legacy is not necessarily about a huge increase in numbers as a one-off thing, it is more around more teachers coming forward saying 'how can we support kids in our programme' and more teams and clubs coming forward to say 'how can we be inclusive within our club programmes'.

"For me that's the big legacy and there is a real opportunity there to provide more chances for swimmers to get in at the right level."

matty.sutton@eveningtimes.co.uk