Special Olympics Sheffield athlete Niall Guite is being celebrated with an Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University for his remarkable sporting, business and leadership achievements.

Niall, who competed at his first Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games in 2009 and has gone on to win gold medals in two Special Olympics World Games, is one of five notable figures, including major-winning golfer Matt Fitzpatrick, to be honoured alongside students at the University’s graduation ceremonies in November.

“I feel very proud to have been offered this award,” said Niall. “I am happy to be sharing this moment with my family, friends, and community, to be recognised in this way is very special.

As someone with a learning disability, I want this to be a message to everyone, that we all have a responsibility to help each other be the best we can possibly be.
By Niall Guite

Niall, who has autism, intellectual disabilities, dyslexia and dyspraxia, won his first gold medal in basketball in 2015 at the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, which he followed up by winning a gold and silver medal in cycling last year in Berlin.

He a founder member of the Special Olympics GB Athlete Leadership team and has recently been elected to the Special Olympics Europe Eurasia Regional Athlete Leadership Council, to represent the voice of all athletes.  

In 2021 he started a social enterprise ‘Art with a Special Goal’ selling his original art depicting aerial views of stadiums. Earlier this year he illustrated his first book, called Ready Set Bubble, with the theme of equity in sport. 

In the last year, Niall has also been recognised for his disability advocacy, winning numerous awards including Breaking Down Barriers Award at the Autism and Learning Disability Awards 2023, the Champion for Change Award at Variety's Disability Sports Awards 2024 and Disability Sport Yorkshire’s Sports Personality of the Year 2024. 

Professor Liz Mossop, Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, said: “We are incredibly proud to announce this year’s honorary awards recipients. They all embody the values of Sheffield Hallam University and have made outstanding contributions to society in their respective fields.

“We know they will inspire our graduating students as they move to the next stage in their lives and very much looking forward to welcoming them to our community.

“All of the recipients have previous links to Sheffield or the University which will serve to strengthen our ongoing relationship with them in the future.”