Nantwich Paralympic star Andy Small is among those chosen to be a torch bearer ahead of the Paris Paralympics which start next week.
Ten “inspirational people” have been selected to take the torch from the UK starting at The Channel Tunnel in Kent to the handover point for Paris.
For 31-year-old Andy, who won Gold at Tokyo in his wheelchair race, the honour will soften the blow of not being able to compete.
He was told in November 2021, just 10 weeks after winning Gold in Tokyo, that his event was not on the schedule for Parish 2024.
Affected athletes appealed to British Athletics, the Government, House of Lords and local MPs but the decision remained.
Andy’s dad Steve said: “Soon after the Homecoming, when then Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised increased funding for Para Athletics, Andy was notified his podium funding, agreed only a few weeks earlier, would be terminated.
“Eventually, the impact of that decision to remove his event caught up with him and he was devastated by not being allowed to compete in the 2024 Games and defend his title, and by being told, in a last-minute phone call, that he was not being taken to the 2023 World Championships in view of the worldwide impact of the removal of the event.
“Andy has maintained a dignified silence on the whole situation although it did initially impact on his wellbeing.”
But Andy, who was born with cerebral palsy, has regained his positive approach to life by turning to writing a new book and continuing to train.
Steve added: “There is a hope that with the changes of personnel, positions and directions in world sport, those making the decisions will return to the inclusive aims of previous Paralympic events and reinstate his event, among others, for the 2028 Games in LA.
“As the Games approach, lots of people have been asking Andy if he is going – especially locally – and when they can watch his race.
“When we tell them that he is not going to be there to compete, their reactions incorporate a range of disappointment and disbelief.
“Andy is now looking forward to the future, hopefully as a published author, and also hopefully with the opportunity to compete again at the highest level.
“His selection as an inspirational person to take part in the historic event of transporting the torch and his appointment to work with the British team in Paris in an international relations role, have given him a connection with the current Games.
“He will be “enormously proud” to be an ambassador for his sport, selected for being an inspiration to others, and to be given the collaborative honour of carrying the torch forward.”
Purely by coincidence, his first novel is a story about a young disabled person’s life journey as they find an outlet through sport which he called “Candlelight Torch”.
He is now in discussions with the Arts Council on how to progress it to publication.
Andy weighed just 1lb 6oz at birth and was given just a 5% chance of survival.
But the wheelchair sprinter overcame those odds to reach the podium at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, the World Championships in 2017 and 2019 and Tokyo 2021.
He is a member of Stockport Harriers Wheelchair Racing Group and the Great Britain Team.
He was recently honoured with an MBE for his services to Disability Sport and athletics by King Charles III at Windsor Castle after being named in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list in January 2022.
The Paris Paralympics will take place from August 28 to September 8.
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