The 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics
Make sure you visit Paralympics GB and GB Snowsport for all the most up to date information on athletes, events and results…
You can follow all the action live on EUROSPORT and BBC Sport
MEET THE ATHLETES
Neil Simpson
Year of Birth: 2002
Discipline: Para Alpine
Club: Gordon Skiers
Hometown: Banchory, Scotland
About:Neil was born Visually Impaired with Nystagmus which causes involuntary eye movements and he competes in the Visually Impaired B3 Category.
He started skiing at the age of 4 starting in Aberdeen dry slope joining Gordon Skiers for snow training at The Lecht and Glenshee in Scotland.
After competing in the GB para Alpine championship in 2018 with 2 Golds results he was selected for the GB Para Alpine team later that year. In the following years he has podiumed in Para Alpine World Cups in Slalom and Giant Slalom races.
What and When to Watch: Coming soon…
Shona Brownlee
Year of Birth: 1979
Discipline: Para Alpine
Hometown: Livingston, Scotland
About: Shona sustained an injury during a military training exercise which resulted in a below knee amputation in 2018. Having never skied prior to injury, she learned to ski in Bavaria through the Battle Back programme, an MoD-funded initiative providing adventurous training opportunities to wounded, injured and sick service personnel.
Subsequently, Shona was given the opportunity to join the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team where she gained her first experiences of ski racing at military alpine skiing championships. Shona began to race competitively in 2019 and by the end of the 2019/20 season had won 3 gold medals at the British Championships, 2 gold medals at the Europa Cup finals and finished 3rd overall in the Europa Cup.
What and When to Watch: Coming soon…
Andrew Simpson (Guide)
Year of Birth: 2000
Discipline: Para Alpine
Club: Gordon Skiers
Hometown: Banchory, Scotland
About: Andrew started skiing at Aberdeen Snowsport centre when five. After family ski holidays he joined Gordon Skiers, training in Scotland at The Lecht and Glenshee. Racing abroad with FAST and DHO.
He started racing in Scottish local races and continued with Scottish and British races at home and abroad. He competed in races from U10’s category up to his first year in FIS races with various different clubs FAST, DHO and Skivo Academy.
The Scottish Visual Impairment ski club in Edinburgh assisted Andrew with techniques for guiding his brother Neil when Neil was initially classified. Andrew’s debut race with Neil was in 2018 at the GB Para Alpine Championships with a gold in Giant Slalom.
What and When to Watch: Coming Soon…
Brett Wild
Year of Birth: 1992
Discipline: Para Alpine
Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
About: Both of Brett Wild’s parents are ski instructors and he started skiing at the age of three while on a family holiday.
A submariner for the Royal Navy, Brett raced for the Scottish junior development squad between the ages of 15-17 and has represented both the Navy and Combined Services teams.
Brett began guiding Millie Knight after a three-day trial in Austria and the pair made their debut together at the World Cup Finals in Aspen in March 2016, where they won the super-G and downhill events as well as finishing third in the giant slalom.
In 2017 the pair claimed an historic downhill victory at the World Championships as well as securing the World Cup title for the same discipline for the 2016/17 season.
At the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games Millie and Brett won silver medals in downhill and super-G as well as a bronze medal in the slalom on the final day of action.
What and When to Watch: Coming soon…
Callum Deboys
Year of Birth: 1996
Discipline: Para Nordic
Club: Para Nordic Elite Squad
Hometown: Kirkmichael, Scotland
About: Whilst travelling to work in June 2017, Callum was involved in very serious road traffic collision. The bone in his left leg had broken so badly that it had severed an artery, which resulted in an above knee amputation 5 days later.
Once Callum had fully recovered physically and learned to walk again but un-able to work he found himself at a loss. Meeting Scott Meenagh, a GB Snowsport Athlete Paralympian helped Callum realise that his injuries may have been life threatening but they were not life-ending. And after hearing Scott’s story, Callum was inspired try some sports.
Then Scott gave Callum the opportunity to go skiing with him and the Armed Forces Para Snowsports team and that’s where Callum’s Para Nordic skiing journey started.
What and When to Watch: Coming Soon…
Scott Meenagh
Year of Birth: 1989
Discipline: Para Nordic
Club: Para Nordic Elite Squad
Hometown: Cumbernauld, Scotland
About: Having competed in Para rowing at an international level, Scott started Nordic skiing in December 2014 and made the switch from rowing full time in March 2016. He made his competitive debut for Great Britain at the World Cup in Vuokatti, Finland in December 2016.
At the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games Scott became the first British Para Nordic skier to represent his country at that level. He raced six times at PyeongChang, covering 60km, with his best result coming in the men’s 12.5km sitting biathlon where he finished 13th.
He was injured when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while serving in Afghanistan at the age of 21 and competes in the Para Nordic sitting categories.
What and When to Watch: Coming Soon…
Hope Gordon
Year of Birth: 1994
Discipline: Para Nordic
Hometown: Rogart, Scotland
About: Having previously competed in able-bodied swimming, she took up Para swimming following her amputation. After missing out on selection for the Scottish Para swimming team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, she decided to pursue other sports. She took up Para Nordic skiing after encouragement from British Para Nordic skier Scott Meenagh.
She was classified in Para Nordic skiing in the LW12 category for the 2021/22 season.
She was diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy [RSD], also known as complex regional pain syndrome [CRPS], at age 12. The condition affects the mobility of her legs and causes her constant pain. She underwent surgery to amputate her left leg above the knee in August 2016.
What and When to Watch: Coming Soon…
Andy MacLeod
Year of Birth: 1992
Discipline: Para Snowboard
Hometown: Stirling, Scotland
About: Andy lost his right leg after cycling accident in 2011 when he was hit by a car travelling over twice the speed limit, which also resulted in a traumatic brain injury.
Andy got interested in Snowboarding at university just before the accident, and soon after began competing. He had the privilege of running with both the Olympic Torch in 2012 and the Commonwealth Baton in 2014.
Andy has volunteered with a number of organisations such as Disability Snowsport UK and Active Schools, encouraging younger generations and people with varying abilities into discovering the benefits that the outdoors brings.
What and When to Watch: Coming Soon…
