Doncaster Paralympian carries GB flag at Winter Paralympics closing ceremony
Doncaster Paralympian Jo Butterfield helped close this year’s Winter Paralympics in style, as one of the Team GB flag bearers.
The wheelchair curler was one of the flagbearers for theMilano Cortina 2026 closing ceremony.
She was joined by fellow Paralympians Neil Simpson and his guide Rob Poth for Sunday’s event.
Visually impaired Para Alpine skier Simpson claimed a silver medal alongside his guide Rob Poth in the Super Combined at Milano Cortina 2026, becoming the most successful male winter Paralympian for the British team.
The 23-year-old now has three Paralympic medals, having won gold and bronze four years ago in Beijing.
Butterfield made her Winter Games debut for ParalympicsGB at Milano Cortina, having previously claimed gold at Rio 2016 in the club throw.
Partnering Games debutant Jason Kean in the wheelchair curling mixed doubles, the pair narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals after losing out to Italy in the final end of their final group match.
ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission, Phil Smith said: "Neil and Rob’s silver medal at these Games underlined their credentials as one of the world’s finest visually impaired skiing partnerships, while Jo’s impressive transition from a gold medallist in Para athletics to wheelchair curling showed just how talented a Para athlete she is.
"Her determination to grow and develop in the sport while sharing her knowledge and experience from previous Paralympic Games has been a real asset to the team.”
Butterfield, 46, switched to curling in 2023 and won bronze at the World Championships in her first year with British Curling.