THE 2016 PARALYMPIC Games is just around the corner with 4,500 athletes from all over the world ready to compete in Rio. Over the course of the next week, we’ll introduce the 48 members of Team Ireland…
Sailing and canoeing athletes
Pat O’Leary
Event: Canoeing
Classification: LTA K1
Age: 43
County: Cork
Pat O’Leary will become the first para-canoeist to represent Ireland at the Paralympics as the sports debuts in the Games this year. The NUI Galway lecturer has always been involved in canoeing and has used that experience to qualify for the Games after losing his leg in recent years.
Ian Costelloe
Event: Sailing
Classification: Sonar
Age: 27
County: Kerry
This will be Ian Costelloe’s second Paralympics as he compete in the three-man sailing team alongside Austin O’Carroll and John Twomey. The Kerry man finished seventh in London four years ago and claimed second place in one of his races in the lead-up to Rio.
Austin O’Carroll
Event: Sailing
Classification: Sonar
Age: 54
County: Dublin
After first representing Ireland in 2013, Austin O’Carroll’s love for sailing has grown down the years. He is preparing for his first Paralympics having secured qualification alongside his team-mates in Rio. The Dubliner is a GP and also a keen cyclist.
John Twomey
Event: Sailing
Classification: Sonar
Age: 61
County: Cork
A veteran of TEN Paralympics, John Twomey is Ireland’s flag-bearer in Rio. The Cork man has been sailing since 1979 and won a gold medal in Seoul 1988 while also winning bronze for discus in 1984.
Medal chances
It’s difficult to know what to expect from canoeing as the sport makes it’s debut appearance at the Games. Pat O’Leary is still relatively inexperienced at this elite level but that’s not to say he can compete with the best on the biggest stage.
In sailing, meanwhile, all three have experienced great success individually down through the years and there’s no shortage of know-how on that boat. An 11th place finish in four years ago will have taught them a lot and they’ll hope to improve on that in Rio.
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