Southside’s stunning athletes join in Team Ireland’s success

SOUTHSIDE athletes played a major part in Team Ireland’s astonishing achievements at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi last week.

On the sixth and final day of competition that saw 7,000 competitors from over 170 countries taking part, the Irish medal haul had risen to a total of 86 medals (30 gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze).

Highlights of the day included the conclusion of golf events, with gold medals for athletes Mark Claffey from Blackrock, John Keating from Templeogue, Andrew Simington from Dalkey and playing partner Phyl Kelleher, from Rathfarnham.

Athletics athletes continued to triumph with a number of podium finishes, including silver in the pentathlon (Conor Meade from Stillorgan) while gymnast Eimear Gannon from Templeogue claimed four bronze medals in the ball, hoops, clubs and ribbon events, receiving a fourth-place ribbon as all round athlete.

Also triumphant after several days of competition were the Team Ireland football team, who claimed the bronze medal after winning 7-2 against Estonia. The team featured Dubliners Daniel Byrne (19), from Lucan, Patrick Furlong (19) from Ballyfermot, and Omer Teko (25) from Walkinstown.

Tenpin Bowling continued for a third and final day of competition, with Michael Hardiman (29) from Tallaght and partner Padraig Reilly (37) from Hollywood, Co. Wicklow receiving a sixth-place ribbon.

In gymnastics, Team Ireland built on their already impressive performance with two silver medals and a bronze.

Laura Rumball (22) from Dun Laoghaire, snapped up a silver medal as all-round athlete, after a winning performance in floor exercise; a fourth-place ribbon in vaulting and uneven bars and a fifth-place ribbon in balance beam.

Also in gymnastics, Rachael Murray (22) from Rathfarnham received bronze in the all-round athletics. 

Also adding two bronze medals to the growing medal haul was runner Alan Power (50) from Knocklyon, who earned a spot on the podium in the 3,000m and 5,000m events during his World Games debut. 

n table-tennis, Team Ireland have excelled across the board, with silver medals for Francis Power and Fiodhna O’Leary (25) from Foxrock.

Aoife McMahon and Fiodhna O’Leary also received a fourth-place ribbon in the doubles event. 

The closing ceremony at the Zayed Sports City Stadium featured a star-studded line-up and included performances from Special Olympics global ambassador Nicole Scherzinger, and Keala Settle, star of The Greatest Showman.

A total of 91 Special Olympics Ireland athletes represented Team Ireland at these Games, the largest sports and humanitarian event that wll be held anywhere in the world in 2019.

They returned home last Friday with medals, friendships and memories to last a lifetime.