24 2GM Saturday November 14 2020 | the times
News
A paralysed athlete who used elec-
trode-activated legs to win silver in an
international cycling race yesterday is
fundraising to further develop the tech-
nology that allows him to compete.
Johnny Beer, 25, hopes to raise £1 mil-
lion to support advances in electronic
remedies for those with spinal cord
injuries.
Beer, from Aylesbury, Buckingham-
shire, was paralysed from the chest
down in a trampolining accident in 2011.
He cycles using a tailored three-
wheel Berkelbike which he has devel-
oped with help from industry. It uses
functional electrical stimulation to al-
low paralysed muscles to move again.
The bike co-ordinates shocks from
electrodes attached to his skin to stimu-
late his muscles, which in turn work the
pedals.
In 2016 Beer competed in the first
Cybathlon, a global competition held
annually in Zurich, which runs races for
disabled athletes using technology. He
came second after the American ath-
lete Mark Muhn and has since spent
three years developing his cycle.
Owing to the lockdown in Switzer-
land, the event this year was held re-
motely, with cyclists competing in a
timed race broadcast online yesterday.
Beer won the silver medal, finishing
after Sander Koomen of the Nether-
lands and ahead of Muhn in third.
“In terms of racing, it’s been very
hard and stressful to try and get to this
point,” Beer told The Times before the
event. “Really what is most important
to me is to make a recovery from spinal
cord injury but I do get a big rush from
competing. From a health perspective, I
very rarely need to visit the hospital for
any reason at all. In that sense, I have a
much better wellbeing and I really en-
joy riding the bike outside. It gives me a
sense of being able-bodied again.”
A commercial functional electrical
stimulation trike was released in 2017,but Beer has spent three years working
with companies including Mercedes F1
to refine the technology with carbon
fibre cycling boots and a seat moulded
to his shape.
He has set up a Justgiving page to
raise money for the Neurokinex spinal
stimulation research programme,
which has helped him with his training.He hopes Neurokinex’s research into
reconnecting damaged nerves with
electric stimulation could enable those
with spinal cord injuries to regain the
ability to walk. “Since I had my accident
I’ve been trying to recover,” he said.
“This time round when I finish Cybath-
lon I want to focus on full recovery from
spinal cord injury.”Paralysed cyclist in race to fund research
Arthi Nachiappan
MICHAEL BUHOLZER/AFP/GETTY IMAGESMurder suspect
arrested over
custody killing
Fiona Hamilton Crime EditorThe suspect in the fatal shooting of a
custody sergeant at a Croydon police
station has been arrested on suspicion
of murder.
Louis De Zoysa, 23, who is autistic, is
accused of murdering Matt Ratana in
south London in September before
turning the gun on himself. There had
been reports that Mr De Zoysa, who
was taken to hospital in a critical
condition, was so seriously injured that
he might never be charged.
However, Scotland Yard said in a
statement yesterday: “The man’s
condition, originally critical, has since
stabilised and is no longer considered
life-threatening.
“Therefore, on Friday, 13 November,
he was considered fit to be arrested on
suspicion of murder. However, as the
man remains in hospital, officers will
liaise with the relevant medical and
legal teams to make an assessment of
when he will be fit for interview.”
He is thought to have been paralysed
in the incident.
Mr De Zoysa is suspected of shooting
Sergeant Ratana, 54, in the chest after
managing to pull out the gun, despite
his hands being cuffed behind his back,
and then shooting himself in the neck.
He had been brought to the custody
suite after being arrested on suspicion
of possessing drugs and ammunition
but is believed to have concealed the
weapon in his underwear.Johnny Beer cycles using a tailored Berkelbike which uses electrical stimulation to allow paralysed muscles to move again