Newry Athletes Excel In World Summer Games 2011

The competition is continuously expanding and this year was set to attract over 7000 athletes from 185 countries worldwide. 3000 coaches and officials, 25,000 volunteers and over 40,000 family members organise and attend the prestigious event as well as hundreds of journalists and thousands of other spectators.

The athletes compete in 22 Olympic type sports games and the event is staged at the iconic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the home of the Olympics. The event brings together thousands of Special Olympics athletes to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate their achievements and successes.

126 athletes made up the Ireland Team, with 29 of those hailing from Ulster. Team Ireland participated in 12 sports events over the duration of the games and were supported by a team of nearly 50 coaches and official delegates.

Four athletes from Newry have excelled in the games and have proudly secured both gold and silver medals for the Ireland team. Ciaran Mallon from Meigh, alongside his team mate from Galway, Jonathan Griffen excelled in the Mens Doubles Bowling Competition and won a gold medal. He also won another gold medal in his own right in the Bowling Singles with a staggering 327 points. Ciaran plays for the Newry City Strikers Special Olympic Club.

Another member of the Newry City Strikers Special Olympic Club is Joyce Haughian who has also won a gold medal in the Bowling Singles, beating her own personal best with a score of 176. Joyce also secured a silver medal in the Womens Bowling Doubles alongside her Mayo team mate Deirdre Garvan. Both athletes are very proud of their achievements as indeed are their families.

Their coach has also highlighted that this is a tremendous success given that neither athlete has ever competed on the world stage before.

Elsewhere, in the aquatics games, the youngest contender from the Ireland team, Fergal Gregory who is 12 years old and from Crossmaglen won a gold medal in the 23m Butterfly Final. Fergal beat off his competitors with an impressive time of 35 seconds. This too was a remarkable success given Fergals young age and the fact that he has also never competed in an international competition.

Since the age of six Fergal has trained with the Newry Dippers and Divers Special Olympics Club. Finally local lady Veronica Donnelly picked up the Football Player of the year award as well as earning a bronze medal in the five-a-side football tournament.

Despite the fact that Athens is currently embroiled in violent unrest with protestors demonstrating their opposition to stringent economic packages, Team Ireland did not let this deter or distract them. The well earned medals which were awarded to these local athletes brings the Ulster Division of the Ireland Team medal count to 7 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze.