ParalympicsGB athletes ready to make history in Milano-Cortina 2026
9th March 2026
Jo Butterfield and Jason Kean are heading to the Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics with ParalympicsGB - and say National Lottery funding has played a vital role in their journey to the Games.
Wheelchair Curler Jo Butterfield is bidding to inspire the nation and become the first British athlete ever to win gold at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics.
She will compete alongside fellow Englishman Jason Kean, who has overcome a serious accident and five months in hospital to reach the Paralympics.
The pair are set to become the first-ever English representatives to play curling for ParalympicsGB at the Games. ParalympicsGB are able to chase their dreams and ambitions at the Paralympic Games because of support from National Lottery players, who raise over £32 million every week for Good Causes.
Butterfield, 46, won gold in the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the para-athletics club throw. She switched to curling in 2023 and won bronze at the World Championships in her first year with British Curling. She now stands on the verge of something no ParalympicsGB athlete has ever achieved — gold at both the Summer and Winter Games.
Speaking at the National Lottery-funded National Curling Academy, Butterfield said: “Winning gold in Rio 2016 was an incredible moment, but making the switch to Wheelchair Curling has been a completely different challenge.
“Having the opportunity to become the first British athlete to win gold at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics is incredibly special. It’s not something I take lightly, and it motivates me every single day. National Lottery funding has been incredibly crucial on this journey, giving us support, stability and resources to train properly and compete against the world's best.”
Kean, 39, has had his own remarkable journey to reach the Games. Four years ago, he was involved in a serious accident and spent five months in hospital recovering from his injuries.
He took up Wheelchair Curling through English Curling and has not looked back. He added: “It’s been a remarkable journey. There were plenty of moments where I didn’t know if I’d ever get here, so to be competing at this level now is something I’m really proud of. Wheelchair Curling has completely changed my life.
“What people might not realise is how much goes on behind the scenes in Wheelchair Curling, from specialist equipment and chair set-ups to access to physios, coaches and training camps. National Lottery funding has made that possible for me personally and everyone on the British Curling programme.”
A team of 25 will represent ParalympicsGB in Milano-Cortina thanks to continued government support and National Lottery funding. This year's Games mark the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics and run from March 6th to March 15th.
Tony Lenton, English Wheelchair Curling Coach, said: "To have two English curlers in the Mixed Doubles with Jo and Jason is something to be proud of.
“Without National Lottery support, their careers wouldn't be possible. It's allowed them to train properly, access world-class coaching, and compete regularly at the highest level.”
The National Lottery has invested over £200 million in winter sports since 1995, supporting elite athletes, grassroots clubs, and world-class facilities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, enabling champions to emerge from communities across the UK.