Dunne goes for gold as Transplant athletes enjoy success
Transplant Team Ireland arrived home at the weekend after putting in an impressive performance at the 7th European Transplant & Dialysis Games which were held in Zagreb, Croatia from 18th - 25th August. The Irish team of 17 men and 9 women were among 300 athletes from 28 countries from throughout Europe competing in the Games which celebrate life through sport. The brave athletes, ranging in age from 18 to 74, brought home an impressive haul of medals including ? Gold, ? Silver and ? Bronze from the Games which secured them 3rd position on the medals table. They were greeted to a rousing reception at Dublin Airport's Terminal Two by family, friends and supporters who followed their progress throughout the Games on the Team Blog www.transplantteamireland.wordpress.com Pic: Angela Halpin ****No Repro Fee****
Laois athletes raked in the medals at the recent World Transplant Games in Croatia, while Mountmellick Paralympian Ailish Dunne will be hoping to repeat their success when she competes today (Wednesday) in the shot putt.
It will be Ailish’s second event at the 2012 Paralympics in London, having competed in the Discus final last Friday. While she placed 13th in that event, she will have high hopes of improving on that in her favoured event.
She narrowly missed out on a medal at the European Championships in the F11 class back in June, finishing fourth, and placed sixth in her first ever World Championships last year in New Zealand.
While Ailish goes in search of a medal, Laois’ trio of Alison Honner, Robbie Lyons and Niall McAuliffe (above) enjoyed a hugely successful time at the World Transplant Games. Honner was selected as the Best Female Athlete on Dialysis at the games, and spoke of her delight at winning the award. “I’m overwhelmed. It’s a privilege to win such an award and to come home with the award and medals is fantastic.”
Honner won two medals in Bowling and one in Badminton over the course of the game, while Niall McAuliffe won medals in Darts and Bowling to make his trip to Croatia a successful one.
Robbie Lyons was the biggest winner of the Laois athletes, as he took home medals in the long jump, 100m and 400m, despite being the youngest competitor in all of the events.
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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