Plymouth man wins £140k dream Audi car and huge cash prize
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Three-time Paralympic gold medallist swimmer Reece Dunn has once again tasted success after winning his dream car and cash prize worth more than £140,000. Reece, who lives in Plymouth, won an Audi RS5 Sportback Vorsprung worth £91,895, plus £50,000 in cash, courtesy of online competition firm BOTB.
The 28-year-old, who was diagnosed with autism as a teenager, received a visit from BOTB presenter Christian Williams, who surprised him with the news he was a Dream Car Competition winner. “I was very excited when I found out. I had a lot of adrenaline and the news has just about sunk in,” Reece said.
Having swam competitively from a young age, he also briefly tried his hand at the aquatic discipline of diving in his formative years before concentrating solely on swimming. He joined the British Para-Swimming setup in 2019 and soon achieved four world records.
Making his Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, Reece became the most decorated Paralympics GB athlete of the Games as he stormed the pool to leave with three golds, a silver and a bronze medal haul. This was a feat made even more impressive after suffering from Covid-19 only 12 weeks prior to the Games. He also received an MBE for his services to swimming in the 2022 New Year Honours List.
“Winning this car and cash prize feels like a once-in-a-lifetime achievement and very different to winning a medal,” he said. “This feels like a proper sports car and I would have to say it is probably my dream car. I would never have been able to buy one like this myself.”
Reece, who is currently retired from professional swimming and works as a floor layer, said he was considering taking the cash alternative. “Although I love the car, taking the cash is probably the smartest option. I am self-employed and things have been tough financially,” he added.
Christian said: “Reece is no stranger to winning things, but to see his reaction when I told him he had won this stunning prize was amazing. It is a lovely car and I am sure the money will come in handy as well.”
BOTB hands over the keys to a dream car each week, as well as a lifestyle prize. Winners have bagged Rolex watches, holidays and motorbikes in recent months.