Five athletes from five different sports will travel to the Paralympic Games in Paris from the 1st to the 4th of September as part of a new initiative supported by four-time Paralympic champion Michael McKillop. This “Futures Program” is designed to foster the development of athletes with strong potential to represent Team Ireland at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. By providing a bridge between international competition and the Paralympic games, the program aims to equip these athletes with invaluable experience and insights into high-performance environments.
Starting in 2024, the Futures Program will support these athletes by giving them the opportunity to attend the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. This experience will allow them to immerse themselves in the environment of a major multisport event, observe their potential events, and gain a deep understanding of what it takes to compete at this level. The experience plays a key role in their development, offering a glimpse of what to expect four years later, allowing them to focus on their performance when the time comes. Additionally, this experience serves as a significant motivational milestone in their athletic journeys.
During their stay, they will experience life as a team, navigating the Paralympic Village, exploring the dining hall, transport hub, and athlete accommodations, and familiarising themselves with competition venues. This hands-on experience is designed to better prepare them for future Paralympic performances at the highest level.
The program will support multiple aspects of the athletes’ journeys, empowering them to understand what it takes to compete at the highest level, fostering high-performance behaviours, and immersing them in high-performance environments, all while focusing on their ability to perform on the world stage.
The five athletes who will travel to Paris 2024 as part of the inaugural Futures Program are:
- Para Athletics – Lana Sutton
- Para Cycling – Cormac O Callaghan
- Para Equestrian – Katie O Reilly
- Para Powerlifting – Casey Fitzgerald
- Para Table Tennis – Patrick Vaughan
The Paralympic Mentor travelling with the program will be Michael McKillop, an athlete that has a breadth of experience at Paralympic Games having competed at four Games and winning gold medals three (Beijing, London and Rio) in the 800m & 150om.
Speaking about the program Brian Hughes, Paralympic Pathway Lead said: “The Futures Program is a fantastic opportunity for athletes to learn from and immerse themselves in Paralympic competition at the highest level. Our focus is on holistic athlete development, ensuring that they not only gain the necessary experience but also grow through every stage of their journey. By creating these development opportunities throughout the Paralympic pathway, we aim to bridge the gap between competing internationally and being fully prepared to perform at a Paralympic Games in the future. This program is all about nurturing growth and empowering athletes on their journey towards the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles 2028”
