Lyndon Longhorne to make Paralympic debut in Tokyo 2020

Swimmer Lyndon Longhorne made it to the Paralympics at the third time of asking, having missed out on selection for London 2012 and the 2016 Games in Rio.

Finally, the 25-year-old’s Tokyo 2020 competition gets underway in the early hours of tomorrow morning, in the opening heats of the SB3 50m breaststroke – the final of which is at 10.38am.

• How to watch North East swimmer Lyndon Longhorne in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics

He is due to swim in six more disciplines between Thursday, August 26 and Friday, September 3 and all of his races will be shown on Channel 4.

Along with this morning’s breaststroke, Lyndon’s favourite races are the mixed relay which takes place this Thursday and the S4 50m freestyle next Thursday morning.

The Northern Echo has proudly followed Lyndon’s inspirational story since he was a baby, originally from Crook in County Durham and now living in Blaydon.

Lyndon Longhorne showed incredible spirit from being a little boy

After contracting meningitis when he was eight-and-a-half months old, septicaemia led to amputations of Lyndon's right leg above the knee, his left leg below the knee, his right hand and the fingertips on his left.

Lyndon started to swim with grandfather Terry Wheeldon

It was his beloved late grandfather, Terry Wheeldon, who first introduced to him pool swimming at the age of one.

As a schoolboy he dreamt of representing his country and reaching the Paralympics and balanced training with his studies, at King James Academy in Bishop Auckland, and later Durham Sixth Form and Northumbria University.

His determination and positive attitude won him an army of fans from Newcastle United hero Alan Shearer, whom he met as a four-year-old when he was learning to walk on his black and white artificial legs, to former Dragon’s Den TV star Duncan Bannatyne.

Duncan Bannatyne and Lyndon Longhorne at the Northern Echo’s 2013 Local Heroes awards

The businessman, who gifted Lyndon £25,000 for a new bionic arm in 2009, said: “Lyndon is an inspirational young man who I have known for many years.

“His courage and dedication have taken him to Tokyo for the Paralympics, and I will be cheering him on from afar as he competes for Team GB in the pool.

“I know that all his friends at our Chester-le-Street health club will join me in wishing him a successful and safe Games.

“Lyndon, you’re already a gold medallist in our eyes!”

That year, as a teenager, Lyndon was named The Northern Echo's Local Hero for overcoming his disabilities to become a swimming champion.

Peter Barron and Lyndon in 2011

The Northern Echo’s editor at the time was Peter Barron.

He said: “In my time as editor of The Northern Echo for nearly 20 years Lyndon has been one of the most inspirational people I have met and his is one of the greatest stories we covered.

"I'm proud that it wasn't just a story we covered but that Lyndon became a friend of the paper, and a personal friend.

"Two of my biggest memories are when I compered the Local Heroes Awards and read out the citation when he won in 2009 and was named champion of champions on the 20th anniversary of the awards - both times he got a standing ovation for not just what he has done, but because he is a brilliant, engaging personality.

"He's had his setbacks but kept going, I'm full of admiration for him and couldn't be prouder or more pleased for him.

"He is one of my all time heroes."

In 2010, as Lyndon aimed for London 2012, The Northern Echo travelled with him to the capital to see the swimming venues taking shape for the event.

Former Echo reporter Rachel Wearmouth, now senior political correspondent with the Daily Mirror and herself originally from Crook, said: “I fondly recall travelling with Lyndon to see the London Aquatics Centre in 2010. What became known as the 'Stingray' pool was still being built for London 2012.

“Fourteen-year-old Lyndon was totally blown away, if a bit disappointed he couldn't have a swim there and then.

“A decade later, he's getting ready to compete as a world-class athlete in the Tokyo Games. That tells you everything you need to know about this extraordinary young man.

“I couldn't be prouder of our local hero."

In 2011, at the age of 15, Lyndon was competing at his first national championships but missed out on a place in GB’s Paralympic squad.

He was a torchbearer when the Olympic torch relay passed through Bishop Auckland before the London games.

He quickly set his sight on Rio 2016, but again failed to qualify.

Lyndon, who is now a father-of-one, temporarily retired from competitive swimming but he dived back in after call from British Swimming.

Officials there suggested he try to have his disability reclassified and when that was successful, the dream was alive again and he returned to intense training.

When swimming pools were shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Lyndon went sea swimming with friends and trained in the River Tyne when teammates were allowed to meet outdoors.

The Derwentside Swimming Club member, who also trains with Durham County Council’s performance swimming scheme, now boasts eight British Para-Swimming long course records after a series of fast swims in 2021.

Those performances secured his nomination for a first international appearance for Great Britain at this summer’s Tokyo Paralympics.

Head coach at Derwentside and the council scheme, Paul Woodley, said: “Lyndon has worked his backside off for so long trying to reach the Paralympics, to be part of that team, he deserves this.

“When he came back we were targeting Paris (in 2024) and thought Tokyo would be a bonus so this is absolutely fantastic.

“I’m really, really proud of him, it is huge for him and the program.

“Equally proud and deserving of a mention is strength and conditioning coach Andy Bullimore who he has worked really closely with throughout.

“The club and council scheme are like a family, we’re really tight knit and everybody is very supportive of each other so are really excited to see him swim.

“There’ll be a few alarms set so people can get up and watch live, he really does have a lot of friends and support back home.”

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