With 34 days to go to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Paralympics Ireland has announced twelve more athletes across three sports to represent Ireland this summer in Paris. The addition of these athletes brings the team size to 24 named so far, with the remaining members of the team to be announced on August 1st.
Tokyo 2020 debutantes Britney Arendse (Para powerlifting) and Kerrie Leonard (Para archery) will both return to the Paralympic Games alongside an experienced Para cycling team that includes the legendary pair of Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal.
Growing from the success of the Tokyo Games, this year’s Para cycling contingent consists of ten athletes, including four pilots.
Track racing gets underway on the first day of the Games, running from 29th of August until 1st of September. The road events will start on Wednesday 4th of September and conclude on Saturday 7th. The track events will be in the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome and the road events will take place in Clicky-Sous-Bois in Seine-Saint-Denis.
The athletes selected are:
- Katie-George Dunlevy
- Josephine Healion
- Martin Gordon
- Ronan Grimes
- Richael Timothy
- Damien Vereker
The pilots selected are:
- Linda Kelly
- Eve McCrystal
- Mitchell McLaughlin
- Eoin Mullen
Speaking about the announcement, Cycling Ireland National Para-cycling Coach Jamie Blanchfield said: “We are excited to name such a strong and experienced team for the upcoming Paralympic Games. It is always an honour to represent your country, especially on what is the biggest stage in the world. Their dedication and hard work exemplify the spirit of Irish Para-cycling and we are very much looking forward to seeing them perform at their highest level in Paris”.
Adding to this, Cycling Ireland High Performance Director Iain Dyer said: “I’m very proud to see such a strong para-cycling team selected for Paris 2024, and I am looking forward to seeing them compete on the biggest stage of all.”
Britney Arendse will represent Ireland in Para powerlifting once again this summer. She made her Paralympic debut in Tokyo finishing 7th in the 73kg powerlifting category. Since then, the Cavan woman has been going from strength to strength, setting a new personal best of 128kg this year. She will compete in the up to 79kg category in Paris.
Archery will once again be represented in the Paralympics Games by Tokyo Paralympian Kerrie Leonard. Like Arendse, she made her debut at the last games and will look forward to competing in front of a ‘home crowd’ in Paris.
Paralympics Ireland CEO, Stephen McNamara said: “The addition of these twelve athletes has further added to the excitement that is building in the run up to the Games. With every athlete that is named a clearer picture of our Team Ireland forms. This is a huge moment for any athletes and those around them that provide endless support to help them follow their dreams of becoming a first time Paralympian or getting to a successive Games. Congratulations to all.”
PARA CYCLING
Katie-George Dunlevy
Age: 42
Hometown: Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Club: Donegal Bay Cycling
Classification: B2
Josephine Healion
Age: 28
Hometown: Tullamore, Co Offaly
Club: Tullamore Cycling and Touring Club
Classification: B2
Martin Gordon
Age: 39
Hometown: Sligo
Club: Black Line
Classification: MB
Ronan Grimes
Age: 35
Hometown: Athenry, Co Galway
Club: Orwell Wheelers
Classification: MC4
Richael Timothy
Age: 29
Hometown: Ballymoe, Co Galway
Club: Castlerea Cycling Club
Classification: C3
Damien Vereker
Age: 44
Hometown: Kilmacow, Kilkenny
Club: Comeragh Cycling Club
Classification: B1
Eve McCrystal
Age: 46
Hometown: Dundalk, Co Louth
Club: Bellurgan Wheelers
Classification: Pilot
Mitchell McLaughlin
Age: 26
Hometown: Drumkeen, Co Donegal
Club: Velo Revolution
Classification: Pilot
Eoin Mullen
Age: 30
Hometown: Inis Mór, Co Galway
Club: Black Line
Classification: Pilot
Linda Kelly
Age: 30
Hometown: New Ross, Co Wexford
Club: Spin the Bean – Powered by Coffee
Classification: Pilot
PARA POWERLIFTING
Britney Arendse
Age: 24
Hometown: Mullagh, Co Cavan
Classification: Up To 79kg
PARA ARCHERY
Kerrie Leonard
Age: 33
Hometown: Culmullen, Co Meath
Club: Blackheath Archers
Classification: Women’s Compound Open
