Jo Butterfield, a 46-year-old Paralympian from Doncaster, is aiming to become the first British athlete to win both Winter and Summer Paralympic gold medals. The former club throw champion from Rio 2016 is preparing for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games as part of Great Britain's mixed doubles wheelchair curling team. She highlights the crucial role of sleep in her training regimen.
Jo Butterfield won gold in the club throw at the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games. Now based in Glasgow, she was left paralysed below the chest in 2011 due to a spinal tumour. Since then, she has secured two European titles, a world title, and her Olympic gold in athletics. In 2022, Butterfield switched to wheelchair curling.
Her first major tournament in the sport was the 2023 World Championships, where she represented Scotland and won bronze in the mixed team event with Team Nibloe. For the upcoming Winter Paralympics, she will compete in the mixed doubles event, making its debut, alongside Jason Kean in Cortina, Italy.
Butterfield stresses the importance of sleep for her performance, particularly given her spinal cord injury. "If you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you’re never feeling on top of the world. It’s a struggle to get back breakfast, never mind going to compete on the greatest stage," she explained. She often takes naps at unusual times, such as between games or early in the morning. "We find ourselves having to take naps at inappropriate times sometimes... Good sleep is always so important. Most people know that athletes can sleep anywhere. We’re really good at finding a quality nap when we need it. I’d sacrifice most things for sleep, maybe not food."
Lack of sleep affects her physically and mentally. "For me, with a spinal cord injury, if I’ve found I’ve not had a good night's sleep, my body is really tight, really spasmy and just crampy," she said. "I find it really hard to even sit in my chair for a long time if I’ve not had a good stretch and my body has not been able to relax properly. From a mental point of view, without sleep you’re never as sharp and curling, in particular, is such a strategic game. It’s quite mentally draining."
Butterfield remains optimistic, supported by Dreams, the official sleep partner of ParalympicsGB. "I often dream about winning... It makes you imagine winning gold. I like to think dreams can come true," she admitted.
