FORMER Sheldon School pupil Ben Jones has become the first person in the world to cycle the entire length of Cuba.

Mr Jones, 22, was raising awareness of dyspraxia, a developmental disorder causing difficulty in activities requiring coordination and movement, and wants to use his success to encourage others to challenge themselves and overcome barriers.

His achievement of cycling the length of the Caribbean’s largest island was confirmed on June 27 by staff at Guanahacabibes National Park, which regulates entry to the westernmost point.

Mr Jones, who cycled with the support of the Winston Churchill Memorial, said: “I remember everyone else in my primary school undertaking their cycling proficiency test but having never shown any aptitude for cycling, I sat at the side.

“Dyspraxia is similar to dyslexia, however it affects physical coordination and movement.

“Many dyspraxics struggle with riding a bike, and I wanted to show that with the right combination of determination and resilience, this challenge can be overcome.”

Mr Jones didn’t own a bicycle before his journey but completed over 1600km after setting off from the Eastern most point of Cuba despite being advised that it was impassable by bicycle.

The journey took 36 days to complete and saw Mr Jones pass the Cuban military bases at Guantanamo, into a Cuban hospital when he tore the skin on his leg, which became infected, and into the homes and lives of ordinary people across the nation.

He said: “One and a half thousand kilometres and a similar number of mosquito bites later, I felt the most intense elation as the lighthouse at Cuba’s westernmost tip came into view. Over two days of cycling, I had passed only three small villages.”

“I am determined that my story will inspire people to challenge their own difficulties.

“With the right combination of determination and resilience, even the most monolithic of obstacles can usually be overcome. Let us never use our personal challenges as an excuse for failure, but always as a motivation for success”.

Mr Jones was diagnosed with dyspraxia at Cambridge University, but when he Googled dyspraxia role models, he found they were in short supply.

He added: “Even though I had broken my wrist coming off a bike at university, I became determined to fill the vacuum of dyspraxic role models by overcoming a challenge we face in spectacular fashion.

“Every worthy cause needs pioneers, and I want to inspire other people, dyspraxic or not, to tackle their own personal difficulties.

“I hope to pave the way for a comparable understanding of dyspraxia. My journey across Cuba has ended, but it is only now that the real journey of spreading awareness begins.”