2012 Irish Paralympic Team is announced

The Irish Paralympic Team travelling to this summer’s London 2012 Paralympic Games was announced this morning at the RDS, Dublin. With 49 athletes across ten sports, this is the largest Irish Paralympic team since Atlanta 1996. Five world champions Five reigning world champions will line up for Team Ireland – athletics’ Michael McKillop and Catherine O’Neill, plus cyclists Mark Rohan, Catherine Walsh and Colin Lynch. McKillop and fellow track star Jason Smyth will also defend the Paralympic titles they won at Beijing 2008. In addition, Ireland will compete for the first time ever in the sports of shooting and rowing at the Games.

For a full list of the team and sports, please click here

  Minister of State in attendance 

Minister of State for the Department of Transport, Sport and Tourism Mr. Michael Ring T.D. was on hand to announce the team:

“I would like to congratulate the 49 athletes on their selection for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.It’s a tremendous honour and the athletes, their families and friends should be very proud.” “I have no doubt that our athletes will be great ambassadors for Ireland and for their respective sports. I would like to extend my very best wishes to the team in their preparations for the Games.”

Paralympics Ireland CEO & Chef de Mission for the Irish Team, Liam Harbison, stated proudly:

“Today’s team announcement is the culmination of a huge effort by everyone involved in Paralympic sport in Ireland.” “The preparation, coordination and management of the Irish Team is a huge task, which would not have been possible without the support of the Irish Sports Council, Sport NI and our sponsors and partners.” “It’s time for us to make a return on the faith and investment placed in us – we aim to deliver.”

Paralympic Performance Director, Nancy Chillingworth, pointed to the individual and team goals in London:

“The Irish Team aim to achieve great personal and collective success at the Games.” “The performances of the athletes in qualification show that the targets of five medals and fifteen finalists are achievable.  We’ve planned meticulously to ensure that each athlete performs to their maximum in London.”

The countdown to London The Irish Paralympic Team now head to Antrim this weekend for the first ever Paralympics Ireland training camp in Northern Ireland. They will attend the final Renault Ireland Team 2012 Training Camp in Limerick in August before heading to Portugal on 16 August for the ISC Pre-Games Holding Camp. A week later, the team will then travel to the Games Village in London, before the Opening Ceremony on 29 August. You can see the Games live on Setanta Freeview (Sky Channel 423 – UPC Channel 105)