As 2021 draws to a close, so does the Irish sporting year, one that has been extremely busy with plenty of success across Irish sport. Irish Paralympians have enjoyed a huge amount of that success in 2021, particularly at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
This success has been recognised in various media outlets, such as the 2021 RTÉ Sports Awards, there has been a total five nominations for in three different categories for Team Ireland.
Gold medal winners, Ellen Keane and Jason Smyth have been included in a six-person shortlist for the 2021 RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year Award. Ellen’s teammate, Nicole Turner was included in the shortlist for the Young Sportsperson of the Year. At just 19 years old, Nicole won silver at her second Paralympic Games.
In Para Cycling, tandem cyclists, Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal have been shortlisted in the Team of the Year category. This comes after a hugely successful Tokyo 2020, bringing home two Paralympic gold medals and one silver, they also set a new World Record in the velodrome. The Para Cycling team, who secured a total of four medal, one World Record, and a host of Personal Bests, was led by Neill Delahaye, who has been nominated for the RTÉ Sport Awards, Manager of the Year. Neill is among ten managers and Head Coaches for the prestigious award.
The winners Sport Awards 2021 will be announced on Saturday, 18th December on RTÉ One presented by Joanne Cantwell and Darragh Maloney.