The front line workers representing Ireland and Northern Ireland punched well above their weight at the World Police & Fire Games in Belfast (Photo and homepage photo by Toby Watson)
By Gerard Cromwell
Irish cyclists came away with an impressive haul of medals and no less than16 world titles on the road at this week’s World Police and Fire Games in Belfast.
Split into age categories, with a road race, criterium, hill climb and time trial to contest for each category, Mullingar Fireman Damien Shaw and Airport Policeman Craig Sweetman were the most prolific winners of the weekend, coming away with three golds each.
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Shaw won the 18-29 road race ahead of Spain’s Unai Ocerin and Northern Ireland’s Matthew Killops.
He took gold in the time trial with Ireland’s Darren Hughes second and won the criterium ahead of Lewis Ferguson of Northern Ireland.
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Sweetman dominated the 40-45 age category winning the road race, criterium and hill climb and also going away with the bronze medal in the time trial. Northern Ireland’s Michael McMullen took bronze in the hill climb.
In the 30-34 age group, Cian Delaney took gold in the time trial and Thomas Lavery took bronze in the road race while Glenn Warnock took bronze for Northern Ireland in the 35-39 time trial.
Robert Boyce of Northern Ireland took three golds in the 50-54 road race, criterium and time trial with Robbie Bryson (NI) taking silver and Frank Togher (Ireland) netting bronze in the hill climb and Martin Gilbert (Ireland) claiming bronze in the road race.
Caroline Ryan took golds in the women’s 30-34 road race and hill climb with fellow Garda Eve McCrystal winning the 35-39 road race title and Sue Steen of Northern Ireland taking silver in the road race for the 40-44 age category.
John Hunter took gold in the 55-59 years time trial while Derek King took silver in the 60-64 hill climb while John Caulfield took the over 70s road race and time trial and also scooped silver in the hill climb.
With 37 golds and 29 silver and bronze medals, Ireland are fifth in the medals chart with Northern Ireland ninth with 21 gold, 19 silver and 17 bronze. America top the 67 participating countries with 83 gold, 62 silver and 63 bronze.
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