THE HSE EVE Estuary Centre in Swords is a rehabilitative training centre for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Three of its athletes were celebrating recently after taking part in the world’s largest sports and humanitarian event this year, the Special Olympics Winter World Games 2017 in Austria.
Anthony Murray, from Balbriggan, Paddy Tunstead, from Portrane and Mathew Colgan, from Swords, represented Team Ireland as part of the Floorball team.
Making this occasion even more special was the fact that it was the first official Floorball competition in the Winter World games.
Estuary’s three athletes were part of the Irish squad of 26 athletes and were joined by nearly 3,000 athletes from 107 different countries from around the world.
Ireland had two Floorball teams, playing more than 13 games each over the two weeks. Both teams finished on a high with Team 1 playing for bronze against Switzerland and they came agonisingly close to winning in what was described as “the game of the championship”.
Team 2 finished with a glorious victory over Argentina, securing them a fifth place ribbon.
Overall, it was described as a week of top class Floorball performances with all the athletes doing their country proud.
Estuary sports coach Emma Tierney and centre manager Linda Nolan would like to say big congratulations to all the athletes.
“We are so proud of them and they have done both our centre and our country proud,” they said.