Having prove something of a medals conveyor belt over the last decade, the Irish cycling Paralympic team will be at the Paris Games, starting at the end of this month, when 10 men and women in green will be aiming for glory.
Katie George Dunlevy and pilot Eve Richardson have blazed the trail for Ireland at the Paralympics, winning golds in three golds and two silvers and they top the bill once more Ireland, in what may well be their last Games.
But others set for Paris have also tasted success on the biggest of stages; Ronan Grimes a winner at both the Worlds and Europeans, with pilot Linda Kelly also having teamed up with Dunlevy for Worlds gold medal success since the Tokyo Games.
And while that foursome are part of the 10-member team selected for the Paris Paralympics, the other six in the team are also out to write their chapter in Ireland's Paralympic history. The history books to date suggest the Irish cyclists will be among our most successful athletes, across all sports, at the upcoming Games, once they get a bit of luck.
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The full group of athletes in the team are: Katie-George Dunlevy, Josephine Healion, Martin Gordon, Ronan Grimes, Richael Timothy and Damien Vereker. And they are joined by four pilots in the shape of: Linda Kelly, Eve McCrystal, Mitchell McLaughlin and Eoin Mullen.
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All 10 have put in major work - training and racing at home and abroad - to make the cut and get to the Paris Games; a huge honour for each of them are their families. The team members will compete across a range of track and road events.
Track racing gets underway on the first day of the Games, August 29th, and continues to September 1st, all at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome. The road events start on September 4th and run for four days, all in Clicky-Sous-Bois in Seine-Saint-Denis.
“We are excited to name such a strong and experienced team for the upcoming Paralympic Games," said Cycling Ireland national paracycling coach Jamie Blanchfield. "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."
Irish Team | Road Events
- Damien Vereker and pilot - B Men’s Individual Time Trial, B Men’s Road Race
- Katie-George Dunlevy and Pilot - B Women’s Individual Time Trial, B Women’s Road Race
- Josephine Healion and Pilot - B Women’s Individual Time Trial, B Women’s Road Race
- Richael Timothy: C1-3 Women’s Individual Time Trial, C1-3 Women’s Road Race
- Ronan Grimes: C4 Men’s Individual Time Trial, C4-5 Men’s Road Race
Irish Team | Track Events
- Katie-George Dunlevy and Pilot: B Women’s 1000m Time Trial, B Women’s 3000m Individual Pursuit
- Josephine Healion and Pilot: B Women’s 1000m Time Trial, B Women’s 3000m Individual Pursuit
- Martin Gordon and Pilot: B Men’s 4000m Individual Pursuit, B Men’s 1000m Time Trial
- Damien Vereker and Pilot: B Men’s 4000m Individual Pursuit, B Men’s 1000m Time Trial
- Richael Timothy: C1-3 Women’s 3000m Individual Pursuit, C1-3 Women’s 500m Time Trial
- Ronan Grimes: C4-5 Men’s 1000m Time Trial, C4 Men’s 4000m Individual Pursuit
