EIGHT Dublin athletes including four Northsiders will be representing Ireland at this year’s Special Olympics Winter Games in Austria next March.
Lee Ryan Byrne from Mulhuddart, Stephen Lee from the Navan Road, Matthew Colgan from Swords and Anthony Murry from Balbriggan are all part of a 26-strong Irish team who will compete in Graz and Schladming from 14-25 March.
All the local athletes will be competing in Floorball; one of the newest team sports on the Special Olympics programme.
Floorball is similar to ice hockey, but not played on a rink, with two teams of four competing against each other. Played indoors, floorball is a fast game that enables athletes to develop speed, power and agility along with great team spirit.
It first featured as a demonstration sport in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea in 2015. In 2017, floorball will feature as an official sport for the first time and Team Ireland will be one of over 20 teams competing in floorball events in Austria.
The Irish squad will have two teams of 10 floorball athletes making up the teams.
Lee Ryan Byrne or ‘LJ’ as he’s known to his teammates is one of the younger members of Team Ireland at just 19 years of age. He’s the shot stopper on the team and has to wear protective goalkeeping equipment when he takes to the floor.
In floorball, the goalkeeper must remain on his knees during the game but that doesn’t mean that LJ is off the hook when it comes to training.
“It has really helped me to improve my fitness,” he says. “I’m training hard for Austria but it has also provided me with a great social life and a chance to make new friends.”
LJ made the transition to floorball from athletics where he won gold in the Javelin and 100m at the Special Olympics Ireland Games in Limerick in 2014.
His mum Elaine will be one of Team Ireland’s biggest supporters at the Winter Games in March.
“Special Olympics has helped Lee become more independent over the years,” she says. “He has made a lot of good friends and socialises regularly with them. He is really looking forward to travelling to Austria and representing his country.”
Matt English, Chief Executive of Special Olympics Ireland, says Team Ireland represents hard work, commitment and dedication.
“I am extremely proud of the 26 athletes who will represent both their country and their local communities at the 2017 World Winter Games next March,” he adds.
“Each selected athlete has shown unwavering motivation, strong discipline and tremendous skill in getting this far. The entire country will be cheering on and celebrating Team Ireland throughout the competition.”
English paid tribute to the many business and organisation who have and continue to pledge funds to Special Olympics Ireland to help raise the necessary €3,000 needed to cover the cost per athlete for their participation in the Winter Games.