The 11 person strong Para Athletics team will depart tomorrow morning from Dublin Airport as they travel to Dubai to compete in the World Para Athletics Championships which, for the Irish team, will get underway on Thursday, November 7th. Places at Tokyo 2020 are at stake in Dubai as athletes that finish in the Top 4 will automatically qualify a slot for their nation at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Conor McIveen will be the only Irish athlete in competition on Day 1 as he competes in the 400m T38 Heats and should he qualify he will return to action for the final on the following day. Alex Lee will make Irish Para Sporting history on Day 2 when the Galway man will become Ireland’s first ever blade runner, his first event will be the T64 200m heats and he will be back in action on Sunday when he compete in the 100m heats.
Orla Barry will compete in the Discus on Saturday while her fellow discus throwers, Noelle Lenihan and Niamh McCarthy will compete on Tuesday. Jason Smyth will put his unbeaten record in major championships on the line when the Paralympic legend competes in the 100m on Wednesday which is the same day that European bronze medallist, Jordan Lee, will compete in the High Jump.
Thursday and Friday will both be busy days for Team Ireland as Michael McKillop makes his first appearance at a major championships since 2017 when he and David Leavy both compete in the 1500m T38 and Greta Streimikyte will also hope to repeat her European gold medal winning performance in the women’s 1500m event on the same day.
Mary Fitzgerald has the longest wait of all Irish athletes as she competes on the final day of action in the Shot Put in what will be her first ever appearance in a major championship.
You will be able to keep track of the progress of the Irish team via the Live Stream on https://www.paralympic.org/dubai-2019 or on the Pundit Arena Facebook Page:
Team Ireland World Para Athletics Championships Schedule
Day 1
07/11/2019, Conor McIlveen, T38 400m Heat, 14:52
Day 2
08/11/2019, Alex Lee, T64 200m Heat, 13:21
Day 3
09/11/2019, Orla Barry, F57 Discus Final, 12:57
Day 4
10/11/2019, Alex Lee, T64 100m Heat, 14:23
Day 6
12/11/2019, Noelle Lenihan, F38 Discus Final, 12:00
12/11/2019, Niamh McCarthy, F41 Discus Final, 14:21
Day 7
13/11/2019, Jason Smyth, T13 100m Heat, 03:38
13/11/2019, Jordan Lee, T47 High Jump Final, 12:00
Day 8
14/11/2019, Greta Streimikyte, T13 1500m Final, 04:53
14/11/2019, Michael McKillop, T38 1500m Heat 13:01
14/11/2019, David Leavy, T38 1500m Heat 13:01
Day 9
15/11/2019, Mary Fitzgerald, F40 Shot Put Final, 13:25
