NI athletes shine in Special Olympics
More than 250 medals won in 13 events
Last updated 18th Jun 2018
Team Ulster athletes have scooped more than 250 medals from the Special Olympics Ireland Games in Dublin.
A total of 273 local athletes took part in the event in 13 sports including athletics, badminton, basketball and football.
On Saturday, Team Ulster’s gymnastics squad won 15 gold, six silver and seven bronze medals in artistic gymnastics events.
Among the winners was Patrick Quinlivan (36), from Letterkenny, Donegal (pictured), who claimed four gold medals; 13-year-old Sophie Carson from Donaghadee, who won three bronze medals in her Ireland Games debut; and Jordan Kerr (23) from Belfast, with three golds and one silver medal.
Jordan who competed in floor, vault, rings and parallel bars, said: “The Games have gone very well and I’m more than delighted with my medals. I’m very pleased for everyone – the whole team have been brilliant and they all did their best. I had to train very hard and training can be quite tense but I enjoy it. It’s hard work but I enjoy it; gymnastics is a great sport to be involved in and it’s fantastic to represent Team Ulster.”
On Sunday, there was further medal success in rhythmic gymnastics, with Team Ulster’s youngest athlete, 10-year-old Lucia Carrigan from Belfast who grabbed two gold and one silver medals while teammate, Anna Joudah (15) from Belfast won one gold and two bronze medals.
Head gymnastics coach, Anthony Monaghan said: "It has been a fantastic Games - the atmosphere is amazing, the crowd have been really supportive, which really helped lift the gymnasts. To walk away with these results makes all the hard work in the run up to it worth it. Words can't describe how proud I am of everyone; our gymnasts, coaches, families and supporters - everyone had done Ulster proud!"
There were huge success for Team Ulster in the pool, as aquatics athletes secured 18 gold medal, seven silver and seven bronze on day two, and in athletics with 21 gold, 15 silver and 11 bronze secured on Saturday.
The Team Ulster badminton squad also had an excellent Games, with all four athletes claiming gold medals throughout the weekend. The squad included up and coming stars, Sarah-Louise Rea (19), Ben Hayward (18) and Aaron Fitzpatrick (21) from Lisburn and Kealan Woods (12) from Cavan.
Willie McMillan, badminton head coach, Team Ulster said: “The guys have trained very hard and were well up for the challenge; three of the team play mainstream badminton and I am delighted with the standard of all of the team’s badminton this weekend and I am so proud of their achievements. To represent their province is incredible. There has been a huge amount of support here in Dublin, the parents and families have been fantastic and Team Ulster have made a big impression – and a lot of noise – this weekend.”