AUGUST 30 could be a date that two girls from opposite ends of High Wycombe will look back on for the rest of their lives.

Clare Strange from Radnage and Flackwell Heath’s Louise Sugden are co-captains of the Great Britain Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team and this summer is their chance to write their names into county folklore.

They won’t just be representing the town at a Paralympic Games. They’ll be flying the flag at a home Games, as co-captains, with a realistic shot at gold.

The mind boggles.

Strange said: “We’ve played together since she joined the squad in about 2003. We have different strengths and work together well.

“It’s about spreading the load, and hopefully we’ll be part of a team that delivers this summer.”

It’s not just a pipe dream either. Great Britain are ranked sixth in the world but they won the World Cup in front of their own fans last year and have consistently punched above their weight whenever they’ve taken the court in this country.

Strange said: “It’s the extra pride you have leading your country out on home turf in front of your home fans.

“You’ve got that vest on, you’re acknowledging the crowd and the position you’re in. It’s such a proud moment.

“I remember playing at the Beijing Games and you could feel yourself physically draining when the momentum swung against you. It felt like you were playing against the whole arena.

“So you have to learn to use being at home in your favour, to make it work for you.

“But our best results have always been at home. We have always delivered here.”

Last year’s World Cup was a case in point as they bounced back from a disappointing 2010 tournament to take gold in Manchester for the first time in their history.

They’ll have a shot at defending their crown in May when the teams ranked first, second and fourth in the world – the USA, Germany and Australia – touch down for a pre-Games phoney war.

Strange said: “We play the Dutch in March and then we’ve got a mini-tournament in April against Germany and France before the Paralympic World Cup.

“We won it last year and it’s been a fantastic competition for us.

“It’s a privilege to have such a high-quality tournament taking place here but it’s still the preparatory stage for us.

“We’ll still be trying things out and I’m not sure if the [Games] squad will have been announced either so that will be at the back of our minds.

“Obviously results will be important, but ultimately, we want to peak in August – August 30th to be exact.”