We are delighted that Jon-Allan has joined our BRIT Ambassador family and is championing the annual BRIT Challenge to support and improve young adult and student mental health and fitness throughout the UK. Jon-Allan is a former Paralympic Cyclist for TeamGB. He is a Paralympic Gold (Rio) and three-time Silver (London) medallist and a four-time World Champion. More recently, Jon-Allan has been competing as a snowboarder with GB Snowsport.
“Having adapted to the challenges of living life with a disability, I know how important it is to have the right support to deal with mental health challenges; Physical activity has been vital to my overall wellbeing and so was being part of ParalympicsGB, British Cycling, and now GB Snowsport. I am aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of so many young adults and students. It is vital that we proactively do all we can now to ensure young adults, students and staff avoid suffering from long-term mental health difficulties.
I am delighted to be a British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) Ambassador and support the charity’s delivery of an annual BRIT Challenge as an inspirational UK-wide opportunity to support and improve the mental health and fitness of millions of students and young adults throughout the UK. The BRIT Challenge is a feelgood February fundraiser for every university, college, specialist college and Students’ Union to enter teams and I hope they share the opportunity with their students and staff to encourage participation. I am also thrilled that BRIT have extended the invitation to take part in the BRIT Challenge all three services; particularly cadets.
It is great to see that BRIT are forging partnerships and special relationships across the education, sport and charity sectors to have a positive UK-wide impact on young adult and student mental health and fitness; especially the British Paralympic Association and GB Snowsport who both are organisations close to my heart. I look forward to promoting the BRIT Challenge, helping to destigmatise mental health and championing equality, diversity and inclusion. I urge my fellow Paralympic and Elite Athletes, from all disciplines, to join the BRIT Ambassador family and assist in encouraging universities, colleges and students to take part in the annual BRIT Challenge. I would be delighted to support and encourage students and staff at the University of Manchester and Trafford College as they take on their BRIT Challenge”. Jon-Allan Butterworth MBE Paralympic Cycling Gold medallist and World Champion and GB Snowboarder
Following losing his arm after a rocket attack in Iraq in 2007, whilst serving with the Royal Air Force, Jon-Allan has become the most successful former member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces at the Paralympic Games. Jon-Allan first got into para-cycling by taking part in the first Help for Heroes Bike Ride in 2008. His talent was then recognised at a ParalympicsGB Talent ID Day. Between 2009 and 2020, Jon-Allan competed as a Paralympic cyclist with British Cycling and ParalympicsGB In 2011, Jon-Allan won gold in the Kilo C5 at the World Track Championships in Montichiari. A year later, he retained the World Championship title and won gold in the same event in Los Angeles. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Jon-Allan won three silver medals in the C4-5 kilo, the C5 4km Individual Pursuit and the Mixed Team sprint. In 2014, Jon-Allan won silver in the Kilo C5 and bronze in the 4km pursuit at the World Track Championships in Aguascalientes. Jon -Allan won gold in the Mixed Team Sprint and silver in the Kilo C5 at the 2016 World Track Championships in Montichiari and then won gold in the C1-5 750m Team Sprint at the 2016 Paralympic Games, together with Jody Cundy and Louis Rolfe.
In 2017, Jon-Allan was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to cycling. In 2018, The UCI became the first International Federation to hold a World Championships in a venue used at the 2016 Olympics and Paralympic Games. Jon-Allan won gold in the Mixed Team Sprint and silver in the C5 kilo. Jon-Allan rounded off his career with a silver medal in the Mixed Team Sprint in both Apeldoorn and Milton World Track Championships. Jon-Allan retired as a professional Paralympic cyclist in 2020. In 2021, he began competing as a snowboarder for GB Snowsport.
Since 2014, Jon-Allan has been a Patron of The Restoration of Appearances and Function Trust (RAFT) charity. Jon-Allan is an Ambassador for The British Military Charity for Limbless Veterans (Blesma) since 2015.
In January 2022, Jon-Allan is representing Great Britain at the World Para Snow Sports Championships in Lillehammer.
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