The Veterans to look out for at the Rio Paralympics..
There’s big boots to fill at this year’s Paralympics following the success of London 2012. All athletes have been training hard and each share a unique story about overcoming adversity. Blesma are proud to support injured veterans in whatever direction their life takes them.
Jon- Allan Butterworth
Jon-Allan is single arm amputee and will be competing in cycling C5 category.
Jon-Allan served as a weapons engineer in the RAF before he was injured in 2007. He came under rocket fire at Basra airbase in Iraq.
This will be Jon-Allan’s second Paralympics after he brought home three silver medals at the London 2012 Games, but he didn’t see this as a success!
“I didn’t enjoy it (London 2012). It was very stressful. I competed in a lot of races – the 1km, 4km pursuit and team sprint in the velodrome, and the time trial and road race. It was hectic!
“After I finished racing I only had a few days to enjoy the experience. I did enjoy the closing ceremony and the bus victory parade. I won three silver medals, and while I know that’s an achievement, I came into the races as a world champion and a world record holder, so I was very disappointed.”
Spurred on by his performance four years ago, Jon-Allan has trained hard to get into better shape and is aiming for Gold.
Jon-Allan will be competing in the Track Time Trial on 9th September and the Team Sprint on 11th September.
Nick Beighton
Nick was a Captain in the Royal Engineers. He lost both his legs in an IED blast in 2009. Nick is competing in Paracanoe KL2.
This will be Nick’s second Games but first time competing in the para-canoe after taking up the sport 18 months ago! At 2012 Paralympics Nick competed in pairs rowing, narrowly missing out on a medal.
“I switched from rowing to kayaking after London for several reasons. One was practical – I’d lost my Army quarters down south, and with my family in the Midlands, carrying on would have been logistically difficult.
“I also fancied a new challenge and wanted to take part in an individual sport. I rowed a double scull in London, but wanted the chance to deliver my own performance without the risk of someone else potentially holding me back.”
Nick plans to have a rest after Rio but wouldn’t said no to the idea of Tokyo 2020.
Nick will be competing on 14th September and the finals are 15th September.
David Henson
David will be competing in the T42 100m and 200m athletics events. David became a double leg amputee in 2011 when he stood on an IED in Afghanistan.
Running was David’s escape before he was injured and it became his goal to get back to after he lost his legs. He got his sights set on a pair of running blades and from there his target was set.
“It’s not easy being a para athlete. You’ve got to work hard but work smart. The first time I put my blades on I only managed to run seven metres. Everything has to be just right all the way up from the blades to the sockets. It’s tough losing your knees and ankles. It completely changes everything.
“You’ve got to learn where to put your body weight with each step – not only have you got to learn a good way to run but you also have to learn a safe way to run. It took me a year and half before I felt confident.”
David is focusing his Rio target on giving his best performance and to come away with a new personal best.
David will compete in the 200m on 10/11th September and 100m on 14/15th September.
Joe Townsend
Joe is a double amputee and will be competing in the Triathlon PT1.
Joe served in the Royal Marines. In February 2008, he was on a routine foot patrol in Afghanistan when he stood on an IED. The blast resulted in Joe losing both his legs. He was just 19 years old.
This is Joe’s first Paralympics but he did make an appearance at London 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony when he was a touch bearer.
Joe was introduced to a lot of sports whilst he was recovering at Defence Medical and Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court.
“I really enjoyed hand cycling and wheelchair racing. One day a rehab instructor I was working with told me about Team True Spirit. At the time I couldn’t swim at all but I was thought ‘why not?’ I did my first Ironman in 2011 and I got the Triathlon buy from there.”
Due to Joe’s injuries he also had to learn to swim again.
“I had to pass a swimming test to get into the Royal Marines but I was never very good in the water. After losing my legs, I had to learn to swim from scratch all over again. I obviously haven’t got any propulsion from a leg kick so it’s all down to my arms. It’s a really technical sport and you can’t just go hard to go fast in the water.”
Joe will be competing in the Paratriathlon PT1 on 10th September.
Jamie Burdekin
Jamie will be competing in wheelchair tennis at the Rio Games. He was 26 weeks into Royal Marines training and preparing to complete his final test when he was involved in a car crash. He broke his neck and back in the crash and is now classed as tetraplegic.
Jamie has represented Great Britain in two World Team cups (the equivalent of the Davis Cup in New Zealand) and at London 2012 Paralympics.
Jamie is heading to Rio with his mind completely set on the game ahead of him.
“I’m not going to start shouting about winning, but I’d like to medal in both the singles, where I’m ranked seventh, and the doubles, where we could be the top seed. I’ve been training so hard. We went to recce Rio last November, simulated the warm-up camp, and even got all the tourist stuff out the way, so when we go out this time, we can concentrate on competing.”
You can catch Jamie competing between 9th to 16th September.
Micky Yule
Micky is an former Staff Sergeant in the Royal Engineers. He will be competing in the 65kg category in Powerlifting at Rio.
Micky is a double leg amputee after he stood on an IED in July 2010 whilst deployed in Afghanistan.
Micky has already competed in the Invictus Games this year where he won Gold. He has been dieting and training hard to make sure he can reach his Rio targets of placing in the top five.
“Paralympians actually lift more than the able-bodied competitors in bench press – because that’s all we train for. Able-bodied guys in my weight group won’t touch me! We qualify in body weight groups, like in boxing, so diet is important.
“I eat to sustain strength. There’s no slack. I look at it like this; do you want to eat rubbish or go to Rio? I look at people who are supposedly on diets and think; ‘You’re bluffing yourself.’ It’s a crazy life. We often make the weight on the day because we all want to be the biggest guy in our group.”
Micky will be competing on 10th September.
Phil Eaglesham
Phil will be representing Ireland in the R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle SH2 category of Target Shooting.
Phil’s children are his motivation for Rio as he wants to teach them never to give up.Phil joined the Royal Marines in 2004 and contracted Q Fever, a bacterial infection passed on by animals, whilst serving in Afghanistan in 2010. Despite the infection being treated, Phil’s condition continues to deteriorate.
“My three kids and my wife will be coming to Rio and they are so excited. I wanted to do this for my kids so much. A little over a year ago I was in a bad place. I want to show my kids that no matter how bad things get, you can always do something better and turn things around.”
Phil will be competing on 13th September.
Full interviews with our Rio Para athletes will be available in our Blesma magazine from the 23rd September 2016.
For more information about ParalympicsGB, please visit www.paralympics.org.uk
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Chris Auker-Howlett
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