A Kingsbridge veteran has been selected to be part of the Paralympic Inspiration Programme in PyeongChang 2018.

John Huntington, 32, from Kingsbridge, an army veteran, is among six athletes and a coach has travelled to PyeongChang 2018 to experience the Paralympic Inspiration Programme thanks to the continued partnership between the British Paralympic Association and Help for Heroes.

Five military athletes have joined the programme which is formed of six athletes across five Paralympic sports - Para alpine skiing, Para Nordic skiing, wheelchair curling, Para canoe and wheelchair tennis.

The initiative, which was first launched in London 2012, gives athletes and coaching staff the opportunity to experience several days at a Paralympic Games. It aims to provide developing athletes with knowledge that will prepare them for a future games as a selected athlete, as well as inspire and excite potential future Paralympians in their ambitions.

John Huntington was serving in the Adjutant General’s Corps when, in June 2014, he suffered a brain haemorrhage which left him paralysed from the neck down on his left-hand side.

“The main impacts of my injury on my life were that I was a soldier and a runner, neither of which I can do any more,” explained John. “I’ve had to change my lifestyle completely.

“Since mine is a purely physical injury, and I used to play a large amount of sport prior to becoming injured, sport these days represents a degree of continuity in my life that was largely taken away when I was injured.

“The ability to perform and compete with both able-bodied and other injured athletes not only allows me to remain fit and healthy, and gives me performance goals to aim for, but also allows me to remain in touch with a part of my life that was largely put behind me when I was injured.”

John started with the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team Nordic skiing in February 2016. Despite having spent time on alpine skis, he had never skied Nordic at that point, but the combination of being on snow in the mountains, and the feeling of freedom that he had previously enjoyed as an ultra-distance runner appealed to him immediately.

He now trains four days in every five, often twice a day. He competed in the 2017 IPC Nordic World Cup in the Ukraine and his aim is to qualify and represent GB in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games.

John said: “Hopefully Paralympic Inspiration Programme is the starting point of my own Paralympic journey, which for me not only represents a worthy and high goal to aim for, but also some personal vindication that despite my injury, I can still perform to the high standards that I used to be able to.

“It’s a huge privilege to be identified to take part on the PIP, and it has given me the additional motivation to make some massive changes in my life that will hopefully help in achieving a place in the 2022 Paralympics.

“I hope to see exactly how the Winter Paralympics works in order to allow me to prepare for my own Paralympic journey down the line. I think it will give me additional motivation to compete, as it will be much clearer how much the games means to all of those involved once I have seen it for myself.

“It is an incredible opportunity to experience the Paralympics in a way that I won’t be able to when I’m competing, so I’m massively looking forward to it.”

Former athletes to have benefitted from PIP include current Paralympian and Help for Heroes athlete Scott Meenagh who got his first taste of winter sport in Sochi as part of the programme and is now the first athlete to represent Para Nordic skiing in 20 years.

In PyeongChang, the athletes will look to understand the scale and scope of the Games, experience the unique multi-sport environment and learn about some of the unique aspects of a Paralympic Games, including the Village, the media spotlight and mixed zone, and the crucial operations and logistics which support ParalympicsGB.

Additionally, there will be a curriculum that the participants will undertake, with lessons about nutrition, media, anti-doping, competition planning and goal setting, as well as to the expectation that they will keep up with their current training programmes. They will be supported by Help for Heroes beneficiary and Paralympic bronze medallist Dave Henson who will act as a mentor on the Programme.

Athletes were nominated by their National Governing Body based on a number of criteria, including but not limited to being on a development pathway, with an anticipated performance trajectory for the 2020 or 2022 Paralympic Games.

The Programme forms part of the existing BPA and Help for Heroes partnership which aims to support military athletes into sports pathways and is based on a shared belief in the power of recovery through sport.

Jayne Kavanagh, Help for Heroes Performance Pathway Manager said: “Sport plays a big part in the recovery journey for our Veterans and Service Personnel who have been wounded, injured or sick as a result of their service. It gives them a second chance at life and enables them to regain their purpose and sense of confidence.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to work in partnership with the BPA to deliver this fantastic programme. It is our hope that this experience will inspire and empower our Paralympic Inspiration Programme athletes to dedicate themselves to their training in order to achieve their dreams of competing in future summer and winter Paralympic Games.

“We encourage anyone that might want to try sport for the first time post injury to be inspired by these athletes and they too could experience the power of sport in their day to day lives.”

Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive of the BPA, said: “At PyeongChang 2018 we will have four alumni of the Paralympic Inspiration Programme competing at their first Paralympic Games. I’m delighted to see this initiative continue as we know what a valuable opportunity for learning this experience provides to aspiring athletes.

“We want them to feel motivated from their time in PyeongChang and to leave the Games with the understanding of what they need to do to achieve their own individual goals in sport.

“I would also like to thank Help for Heroes for their invaluable contribution to the PyeongChang Programme to provide athletes with the opportunity to benefit from this experience.”