Simon trained with Alex Bliss, Strength and Conditioning Coach based at the university’s Welkin Laboratories in Eastbourne.
The university’s Director of Sport Sarah Hogg, pictured presenting Simon’s award, said: “We are so pleased this award went to someone with a connection to the university. It’s really great that his remarkable achievement of attending seven Paralympic games has been recognised – it really is an amazing feat to have had such a long and distinguished career.
“The university has a long and proud tradition of supporting high-performance athletes and indeed one of our graduates and former sports scholars Faye McClelland was also recognised on the night as she finished in an amazing fourth position in the Paralympic triathlon event in Rio.”
The awards night, at 91快活林’s Grand Hotel, celebrated the achievements of sports men and women based in Sussex and included an honour parade by the county’s Rio Olympic and Paralympic athletes. A highlight saw the oldest surviving Olympian, 99-year-old Bill Lucas, present an award and offering words of advice to the younger generation about working hard to fulfil your dreams.