21 Sep Richard Whitehead MBE named as Seiko Prospex UK Brand Ambassador
Seiko UK proudly announces the appointment of Paralympic gold medallist, charity and community champion Richard Whitehead MBE as the new Seiko Prospex UK Brand Ambassador.
A multiple gold Paralympic medallist with a double through-knee congenital amputation born and raised in Nottingham, Richard developed a passion for sport from an early age. Driven by a desire to compete as a professional athlete and push boundaries, Richard has set World Records for athletes with a double amputation in both the Full and Half Marathon categories. The Seiko Prospex philosophy of ‘Keep Going Forward’ is one he has always lived by; the determination and attitude he brings to all aspects of sport and life.
Throughout his career he has not only tackled the challenges of disability, but also the need to innovate and refocus his talent; ineligible to compete in a Paralympic Marathon on home soil in London’s 2012 Olympics he retrained and took home the gold medal and a new World Record in the T42 200m category.
Charity and community involvement also keep Richard going forward; in 2013 completing a gruelling 40 marathons in 40 days for Sarcoma UK and Scope, becoming the first UK athlete to run the length of the country. In 2021 he launched his own venture: The Richard Whitehead Foundation, which aims to inspire and tackle the barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing sport and being engaged in their community.
Richard Whitehead shares: “My parents encouraged me to live a life without limits, to participate in sports. Now as an athlete on the world stage, motivational speaker and Dad, I am delighted to be able pay that message forwards, to inspire others in overcoming life’s toughest challenges, as the new brand ambassador for Seiko Prospex. For me, as timekeeper of elite sports, Seiko is synonymous with precision and accuracy; I’m proud to represent a brand who have recorded some of my best racing performances.”
Editor’s Notes: About Richard Whitehead
– 2011 Won his first world title at World Para Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand
– 2012 European and Paralympic gold medallist
gold at the European Para Championship in Stadskanaal, Netherlands
– 2013 Retained his T42 200m World Para Athletics title
Charity expedition: 40 marathons in 40 days becoming first double leg amputee to run the length of the country
Awarded MBE in New Year’s Honours list for his services in athletics
– 2015 Broke the world record – T42 with a time of 24.10 – Doha 2015 World Para Championships
– 2016 Double sprint gold at the European Para Championships, Rio 2016 Paralympic Games 200m gold
medallist, 100m Joint silver medallist
– 2017 World Para Championships 200m gold, 100m bronze
– 2018 T61 200m gold at the European Para Championships in Berlin, Germany
– 2019 World Championships silver medallist – T61 200m
– 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games silver medallist – T61 200m
