CATHERINE WALSH AND FRAN MEEHAN GUARANTEED SILVER MEDAL
MORNING HIGHLIGHTS:
The Irish BC1-2 Team lost out to the Korean Republic (South Korea) in
their first match on a score-line of 14-3. The team consisted of which
consisted of Padraic Moran, Gabriel Shelly, Roberta Connolly and Tom
Leahy. South Korea are the number one ranked team in the world,
Ireland will look to bounce back against Brazil later today.
Speaking after the match, Tom Leahy said
“We knew it was going to be a really tough match, I’ll be happy if we can get a result against Brazil later today.”
Padraic Moran added,
“We got off to a slow start and you can’t afford that against the best in the world.”
Moran went on to say
“We showed in the last three ends that we can play but by then the match was out of reach, we need to get a result now against Brazil or we are going home.”
The Irish Boccia team just took too long to get into their stride as
the world’s best Boccia team raced into an early lead, a lead which
Ireland could never recover from. Ireland did however find some form
when Padraic Moran entered the game in the third end. Ireland won the
fourth end 2-0, however despite a strong showing from the Irish team
in the closing stages The Republic of Korea ran out 14-3 winners.
Ireland will face Brazil later today needing a win to have a chance of
progressing.
James Dwyer competing in the Equestrian Individual Championship Test –
Grade IV in the Greenwich Park with his horse Orlando
Women’s Tandem pairing of Catherine Walsh and Fran Meehan stormed into
second place in the qualifying rounds of the Women’s Individual B
Pursuit in a time of 3.36.453, breaking the Paralympic Record in doing
so. The New Zealand duo of Gray and Thompson went one better with a
World Record time of 3.31.530. They will go head to head for gold at
14.42 today, with at least a silver guaranteed.
Not to be outdone the new pairing of Katie-George Dunlevy and Sandra
Fitzgerald knocked 5 seconds off their Personal Best to finish in a
credible 5th place, just outside medal contention in a time of
3.42.445.
“That’s how we roll”
were the words of both Meehan and Walsh referring to their increase in pace over the closing laps. The Irish bike were lying in 4th place for most of the race.
Meehan said
“we knew that the other bikes were fading over the final four laps, so if we held pushed there we would qualify.”
Walsh added
“we always finish fast”.
Meehan
“we did a personal best time, broke the Paralympic Record, but we have more in us, the New Zealand bike did a very fast time.”
The two GB bikes will race in the ride off for Bronze this afternoon.
Walsh added
“it was nice to beat the GB bikes on their home ground”.
Cyclists Katie-George Dunlevy & Sandra Fitzgerald narrowly missed out on qualification for the final this afternoon in the Individual Pursuit B Qualifiers in the Velodrome. The dynamic duo placed 5th in
this morning’s qualifiers.
Speaking after their race Dunlevy and Fitzgerald were happy with their
PB time, Dunlevy adding
“we are delighted for the other tandem too.”
Irelands rowing team were on the water in the B Final of the LTA Mixed
Coxed fours where they finished in 4th position in a time of
3.36.72vbehind Canada, France and Brazil, bringing their debut
Paralympic Campaign to a close. The team consists of: Kevin Du Toit,
Shane Ryan, Sarah Caffrey, Anne-Marie McDaid and Helen Arbuthnot.
Irish Rowing Team consists of: Kevin Du Toit, Shane Ryan, Sarah
Caffrey, Anne-Marie McDaid and Helen Arbuthnot competing in the
LTAMix4+ Final A* on the Eton Dorney
Following yesterday evenings Irish success, Heather Jameson was
Irelands only competitor today in the T37 100m event where she set a
new personal best time of 15.08. While not enough to progress to the
final, Jameson continued the Irish athletics success story with her
performance a personal best by .05 of a second and a tremendous result
for the youngest member of the Irish team.
Speaking after her race Jameson commented
“I am delighted to have set a PB this morning. The atmosphere was absolutely incredible. I am going to give it everything in my final event now. “
Also in action were Colin Lynch, Cathal Miller and Enda Smyth in the Mixed C1 to 5 Team Sprint. As first starters the trio broke the Paralympic Record in a time of 56.401, which they held for several rounds. They came home in 8th place, the top four bikes go to the final later on this evening.
Speaking after the race the team credited Terry Cromer with their smooth transitions to deliver this record. Lynch said
“we broke the Paralympic Record, and held it for a while, that’s just great.”
Miller added
“this team have produced such great performances so far, it was unbelievable to come out and break the Paralympic Record in the opening rounds.”
Smyth added
“Not bad for three auld fellows.”
COLLATED RESULTS:
Boccia
1. M George (BEL) 77.06,5 2. S Wells (GBR) 76.323, 3. F Hosmar (NED)
73.097, 6. J Dwyer 68.516
Cycling
1. P Gray (NZ) 3:31.530, 2. C Walsh 3:36.453, 3. A McGlynn (GBR)
3:36.930, 5. K Dunlevy(IRL) 3:42.45
Rowing
1. Great Britain 3:19.38, 2. Germany 3:21.44, 3.Ukraine 3:23.22, 10.
Ireland 3:36.72
