16 December 2020
Paralympic cyclist Jon-Allan Butterworth announces retirement
Paralympic champion Jon-Allan Butterworth has today announced his retirement from professional cycling having enjoyed an 11-year career in the sport.
Butterworth, who joined the Para-cycling Development Programme in 2009 via Help for Heroes’ partnership with British Cycling and ParalympicsGB to introduce military personnel to Paralympic sport, retires with a Paralympic gold medal and three silver medals to his name.
At his debut Paralympic Games in London 2012, Butterworth won silver medals in three events – the kilo, individual pursuit and the team sprint. It was at the Paralympic Games in Rio where he made it to the top of the podium, winning the gold medal in the team sprint alongside teammates Jody Cundy and Louis Rolfe.
Butterworth’s cycling career began when he took part in a ParalympicsGB talent ID day in Loughborough, just 10 weeks after having his arm amputated following a rocket attack at the Basra Air Station in 2007, where he was serving as a weapons technician with the RAF. Inspired by the Beijing Games and his experience at a Help For Heroes bike ride in 2008, Butterworth was selected for the Para-cycling Talent Programme in 2009 and less than two years later, he set the world record for the C5 Kilo at his debut UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships event in Montichiari, Italy. He went on to win four world titles in his career.
Butterworth said: “I have enjoyed a long and successful career on the Great Britain Cycling Team. My proudest achievement is becoming the first British ex-serviceman to win a gold in Paralympic history. I have had the pleasure of working with some truly amazing people who have helped make it all possible. On reflection at the end of this strange year, the time feels right to retire from professional cycling so that I can focus my energy on the next step of my career. I wish my team mates all the very best in their preparations for Tokyo 2021 and I thank them for all the memories.”
ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission, Penny Briscoe said: “Jon-Allan’s immense contribution to the ParalympicsGB team is something he should be incredibly proud of. His dedication to the sport and to ParalympicsGB has been wonderful to watch and while I have no doubt he will be missed by teammates and support staff alike, I wish him the very best for the future.”
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