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IRELAND’S SPECIAL OLYMPICS athletes continued their winning run in Athens yesterday, racking up ten more medals.
Two further golds were among the prize haul, which brought Team Ireland’s medal total to a heavyweight 44. Yesterday spectators and supporters watched Irish competitors succeed in a number of track and field events, with Martin Mahood from Bangor, Co Down winning silver in the men’s shot put.
Amy Quinn, from Bray, Co Wicklow, also took home silver in the women’s softball throw event – while Ciara O’Loughlin from Inagh, Co Clare won silver in the women’s shot put and Eileen O’Loughlin came fourth in the same event. In the men’s softball throw, John McKiernan from Bawnboy, Co Cavan won bronze. Gary O’Brien from Portmarnock, Co Dublin, shot out of the blocks to nail silver in the men’s 400m event with a personal best record time.
In further equestrian events yesterday, Conor MacGearailt from Athy, Co Kildare won bronze in English Equitation.
Aquatics competition was another strong point for Team Ireland. Caitriona Kearney from Bagnelstown, Co Carlow came fourth in the 50m backstroke, while Diarmuid O’Flynn from Kilkenny finished fifth in the men’s event. But the proudest moment came when the youngest athlete in the Irish squad, 12-year-old Fergal Gregory, landed gold in the 25m butterfly.
In bowling, Ciaran Mallon from Newry, Co Down won a second gold medal while Michael Hardiman from Tallaght, Co Dublin came in fourth and Deirdre Gannon from Westport, Co Mayo came sixth.
The women’s basketball team showed the French how it’s done, romping home in a 17-3 victory. In football, the men’s 11-a-side squad had a nail-biter against Australia, with Michael Neville from Sixmilebridge, Co Clare scoring in the final minute to secure a 3-2 win. The team will now face Great Britain on Saturday.
In five-a-side football, the men overcame East Timor 2-0, while the women’s team narrowly lost out to home nation Greece.
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It’s time to act across the EU, here too especially. We can’t handle a pandemic. That much we know. It’s not tourist season, we can still act in time to reduce exposure while minimising hassle.
Flights to and from affected areas should be cancelled for a few weeks.
@Perlum Sprite: We handled the last pandemic in 2009 didn’t we?
@David Garland: the mortality rate for that pandemic was between 0.1% and 0.7%. The mortality rate for this virus while not finally established is multiples of that, maybe 10 times higher. You’re comparing apples and oranges.
@Connoroconner: Im not comparing anything.. I’m sure the Irish health service is well equipped to deal with whatever cases we’ll have. Plus if it does hit it will be outside our own flu season which means the hospitals will have a better chance to deal with it..
@David Garland: Give it a rest. It seems that no matter how many times it’s pointed out to you that this not a flu and is many orders of magnitude worse than any flu in every way, you persist with making unfounded comparisons.
@Paraic: What unfounded comparisons? 400,000 died in the last pandemic in 2009.. So far this virus/flu has killed less than 3,000. What don’t you understand about my figures?? They’re facts!
Don’t worry about it. SF have promised to cure it if they get into government.
@Nioe: How often do you dream of Mary Lou?
@Nioe: Harris has it sorted you’ll be fine.
They wont close EU borders as they are too worried about adverse effects on the economy. Money taking priority over people’s health again
Its nearly here :-\
@xDemo17: It doesn’t travel alpahabetically!
@Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa: That is funny lol
It would put the shites up ya. Has it only killed those with underlying health problems so far?
It is probably the will of Allah
People really need to tone down the scare-mongering.
The first case of Rubella in decades here is of far more serious concern
have your say