Another great day for Team Ireland at the Special Olympics World Games

• On the fifth day of competition, Team Ireland’s medal haul has risen to over 60 medals
• Team Ireland ladies’ basketball team, with athletes representing Antrim, Down, Dublin, Tyrone, and Westmeath are the latest local athletes to scoop gold in Abu Dhabi.
• After several days of heated competition, Team Ireland’s seven-a-side football team claimed a bronze medal. The team features athletes from Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and Wicklow.
• Furthering Team Ireland’s success in the pool, Aisling Beacom (38) from Wicklow swam her way to success with a gold in the 800m freestyle.
• Runner Alan Power (50) from Knocklyon, Dublin 16, earned a spot on the podium in the 3000m during his World Games debut

After five days of competition at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, Team Ireland athletes have made a big impression, gathering a massive haul of at least 60 medals, with two days of competition still to go.

The 91-strong Team Ireland squad
are blazing a trail at the Games in a variety of sports, with
outstanding performances in athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce,
bowling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, kayaking,
swimming and table tennis.

Team Ireland’s ladies’ basketball
team have become the latest victors, claiming gold in a stunning 27-15
victory over Bharat.  Athletes Faye Boyd (29), Grace Hamilton (27), Sara
Shivas (23) and Sarah Thorne (24), all from
Antrim; Gemma O'Keefe (45) and Amy Watters (26) from Bangor, Co. Down;
Emma Johnstone (22) from Finglas, Dublin 11; Siobhan McKay from Strabane
(27), Co Tyrone, and Sarah Kilmartin (22) and Shauna Stewart (23), both
from Athlone, Co. Westmeath, were triumphant
after a strong team performance.

Furthering Team Ireland’s success
in the water, Aisling Beacom (38) from Wicklow swam her way to success
with a gold in the 800m freestyle, smashing her personal best by 50
seconds. Also in the pool, Jack McFadden () from
Dublin 15 earned the top spot on the podium with a gold in the 200m
breaststroke; Peadar Connolly (32) from Newry, Co. Down and Edel
Armstrong (23), Navan Road, Dublin 7 won silver in the 100m freestyle.

Also
triumphant after several days of competition were Team Ireland football
team, who claimed the bronze medal after winning 7-2 against Estonia.
The team featured a strong contingent from Co. Cork,
with David Dunlea (27) from Douglas, James Hunter (23) from Mallow,
Wayne O'Callaghan (25) from Vickerstown, Thomas O'Herlihy (34) from
Churchfield
and
Steven O'Leary (28) from Fermoy amongst the winners of the day.
Dubliners Daniel Byrne (19), from Lucan, Patrick Furlong (19) from
Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 and Omer Teko (25) from Walkinstown,
Dublin 12; Limerick athletes Lee Curtin (29) from Southill and Brian
O'Sullivan (28) from Rathkeale; William McGrath (38) from Kilmacthomas,
Co. Waterford and Paul Condren (30) from Bray, Co. Wicklow also helped
lead the team to victory.

Tenpin Bowling continued for a third and final day of competition, with a gold medal for athletes Gemma Steele (25) from Coleraine, Co. Derry~Londonderry and Aine McDermott (24) from Athenry, Co. Galway in the doubles event; whilst Amy Delaney from Derry city and Rosarie McCarthy (53) from Co. Cork, claimed silver in the same event. Also competing in doubles tenpin bowling, Mark Saddler (28) from Kilcormac, Co. Offaly and Hugh Naughton (36) from Roscommon received a fourth-place ribbon, and Michael Hardiman (29) from Tallaght, Dublin 24 and partner Padraig Reilly (37) from Hollywood, Co. Wicklow received 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, Co. Dublin 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 Dublin 14 received bronze in the all-round athlete.

Also adding two bronze medals to
the growing medal haul was runner Alan Power (50) from Knocklyon, Dublin
16, who earned a spot on the podium in the 3000m and 5000m events
during his World Games debut. In table-tennis,
Team Ireland have excelled across the board, with a gold medal for
Aoife McMahon (39) from Clonakilty, Co. Cork and silver medals from
Navan, Co Meath’s Francis Power and Fiodhna O’Leary (25) from Foxrock,
Dublin 18. Aoife McMahon and Fiodhna O’Leary also
received a fourth-place ribbon in the doubles event.