British Curling has named the biggest squad of athletes who will participate in its world class Paralympic programme for the 2024-25 season.
The dozen in the GB Paralympic squad include Paralympians Hugh Nibloe, Gregor Ewan, Robert McPherson, Gary Smith and Meggan Dawson Farrell and four more World Championship representatives in Jo Butterfield - who was awarded an MBE after winning a Paralympic gold medal in athletics at Rio in 2016 - Gary Logan, Charlotte McKenna, Stewart Pimblett, along with Martin Sutherland. 
Newcomers to that squad are England’s World Championships Mixed Doubles representative Karen Aspey along with Julian Mattison who have moved up from Paralympic Performance Foundation (PPF) level.
Three more of last season’s PPF squad, Scotland’s Keith Gray and England’s George Potts and Jason Kean have graduated to national level support, a group that is completed by a third English player Jean Guild.
The latest PPF squad meanwhile consists of five further new athletes to the programme, Austin McKenzie, Connor McGeorge, Gordon Alexander, Graeme Stewart and Rich Osborn, all of whom were recruited following the British Curling Paralympic recruitment campaign last season and attended a come and try event at the National Curling Academy in Stirling last October.
”Congratulations to all of those who have been selected to the world class programme this season after a rigorous selection process,” said British Curling Paralympic Head Coach Sheila Swan.
“This is the largest squad we have recruited to the Paralympic programme and consists of many familiar faces and experienced athletes along with lots of fresh blood, demonstrating how effectively our Paralympic pathway is now working, enhanced by our recruitment campaigns north and south of the border, with more English athletes on board than ever before. 
“International wheelchair curling has never been so competitive, which is being felt ever more keenly with just two years to go to Mila Cortina in 2026 with two medal opportunities available from the team and mixed doubles disciplines in the Paralympic programme for the first time.
“We believe having a large squad will not only boost our chances in 2026 and beyond, we also know it will help everyone at different stages of the pathway to develop well in order to win well when it counts in 2026.”
Selected athletes for 2024/5:
Paralympic Squad:
Charlotte McKenna
Gary Logan
Gary Smith
Gregor Ewan
Hugh Nibloe
Joanna Butterfield
Julian Mattison
Karen Aspey
Martin Sutherland
Meggan Dawson-Farrell
Robert McPherson
Stewart Pimblett
Scotland:
Keith Gray
England:
George Potts
Jason Kean
Jean Guild
Paralympic Performance Foundation (PPF):
Austin McKenzie
Connor McGeorge
Gordon Alexander
Graeme Stewart
Rich Osborn
Athletes not returning for 2024-5: Collette Martin (PPF)
Programme athletes will be back on ice at the National Curling Academy from week commencing 8 July 2024.
We are keen to hear from anyone wishing to participate in our future come and try wheelchair curling sessions hosted in England and Scotland when the season gets underway. Please contact British Curling’s Paralympic Pathway Manager Cheryl Lappin for more information: Cheryl.Lappin@britishcurling.org.uk
Images: World Curling 
