Para-Athletics Ireland in association with University College Dublin held the first of two Academy TRY-OUT days at the weekend. Following successful athlete recruitment campaigns including the Para-Athletics Virtual Talent Search athletes identified with potential were invited to TRY-OUT. The day involved athlete testing and event specific components led by UCD Ad-Astra Academy and Paralympics Ireland performance staff respectively. A second TRY-OUT day will take place in April.
The athletes then have the summer competition season to achieve the evidenced-based performance targets to be invited into the newly formed Para-Athletics Academy which will begin in the Autumn 2024.
The Para-Athletics Academy has been enabled by successfully securing a Sport Ireland research grant. A collaboration between Paralympics Ireland’s Dr Alison O’Riordan and Professor Kate Pumpa from UCD’s School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, the research will focus on the development of talent identification profiling and monitoring protocols in para-athletics. It will also showcase how NGBs and third level institutions can work together to enhance and improve athlete performance.
“It was a tremendous initial TRY-OUT day with so many young talented para-athletes working really hard to be a part of this great new initiative. It’s a really exciting time for para-athletics in Ireland with the formation of the Academy being just one of the many new initiatives in place for 2024 and beyond.” said Para-Athletics Pathway Lead Dr Alison O’ Riordan.
If you know of any talented athletes with an eligible impairment or want to know more on the Para-Athletics Talent Pathway, please contact para-athletics@paralympics.ie.
