A PARALYMPIC hero has opened an extended fitness club at Walton Park Sports Centre.

The facility for Sale Weight Training Club, will result in a doubling in its size and was officially opened by Paralympic GB cycling sprint gold medal champion Jon-Allan Butterworth.

The two-storey building now boasts a state-of-the-art cardio-vascular training suite that will also be used to provide a range of spinning, high intensity and associated classes while the ground floor now has the space to deliver an extended area allocated to chest training, with the original cardio space being dedicated to leg and abdominal training.

The club’s chairman, Ian Waterfield, said: “In addition to being very functional, the aesthetic look of the architectural design adopted is set to generate a real ‘wow factor’ for anyone visiting Walton Park.

“We are confident that both the design and layout of the extension will not only help better serve our regular members, but also prove successful in attracting a wider audience into the gym that stands as one of the best facilities of its kind within the North West.

“I would also like to thank the entire gym membership for continued support, as it is their efforts that have helped build up the funds over the past 20 plus years that have been used to finance the project.

“In our eyes, Sale Weight Training Club delivers a unique training experience and environment that is used by a broad spectrum of the local community.”

Jon, who is a familiar sight in the gym, was mixed team sprint gold medal winner at both the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and World Championships in Montichiari, Italy.

Jon, who trains in Sale on a regular basis when not at Manchester’s National Cycling Centre Velodrome, said: “Completion of the 2,000 sq ft, purpose-designed extension represents a significant milestone in the club’s 35-year history, so it was an honour to be asked to officially open it.

“What makes being part of such an ambitious project extremely satisfying is the fact that it has been entirely self-financed by the members of what is a not-for-profit organisation, which is a tremendous achievement.”