- Athletes claim SIXTEEN medals on Final Day of Competition at LA2015 (6 Gold, 5 Silver, 5 Bronze)
- This brings the overall tally to 86 medals: 26 Gold, 29 Silver & 31 Bronze
- Team Ireland also notched up 31 personal bests and 43 placement ribbons throughout the Games
- Ulster Team Ireland athletes continue to blaze a trail on Final Day
- Donegal gymnast, Patrick Quinlivan wins One Silver, Three Bronze and Three Fourth Place Ribbons
- Déarbháil Savage from Mowhan, Co. Armagh wins third medal: Gold in Equestrian Team Relay
- Team Ireland ladies basketball team put in huge performance to claim Gold
- Medals also won in Athletics, Football, Equestrian, Gymnastics, Badminton, Bocce, Aquatics, Table Tennis
- A host of Place Ribbons achieved by Team Ireland athletes on Final Day including footballers, Christopher Kane from Lisburn & Peter Fitzpatrick from Ballynahinch; swimmer Sarah Jane Johnston from Lurgan and table tennis athlete, Carole Catling from Newtownabbey
Team Ireland has finished the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles with an incredible 86 medals. On the final day of competition Team Ireland athletes won six gold, five silver and five bronze. This leaves the Team with a final medal tally of 26 gold, 29 silver, 31 bronze, 31 personal bests and 43 placement ribbons.
The final day proved extremely successful for Co. Donegal gymnast, Patrick Quinlivan who won a Silver medal in Vault, three Bronze medals (Horizontal Bar, Rings and Parallel Bars) as well as Three Fourth Place Ribbons. Inspiring 15-year-old equestrian athlete Déarbáil Savage from Mowhan, Co. Armagh – Team Ireland’s youngest athlete – rounded off the Games by securing her third medal – a Gold in Team Relay, , adding to her Gold and Silver won earlier this week.
On a stunning last day of sport the Irish ladies basketball team delivered their best performance of the World Games, beating Mexico by 19 points to 17 points to win Gold. Basketball coach Vicki Ronning said she was “blown away” by her players. “I am immensely proud of the girls and all the hard work they put in over the last nine months. Despite the strong competition they proved themselves to be the best.”
Gold!!!!
Dublin player Sarah Bryne, 18-years-old from Clondalkin, was stunned by her team’s achievement and explained how her teammates had to fight back to claim the victory. “I can’t believe it. It was my dream to get a gold medal. We went to sleep for a little while but towards the end our defence picked up and our shooting got a bit better.”
At the Drake Stadium in UCLA Team Ireland’s 11-a-side footballers put in a huge performance to beat Iceland 5-4 on penalties. The victory meant the Irish players will leave Los Angeles with a bronze medal. Head coach Paul Martyn said he was delighted for his players. “We had to play five games in five days. In the final game we got the equalizer with three minutes to go. That just epitomised the determination to bring home a medal. The respect the lads showed after the missed penalty was sportsmanship of the highest order.”
On the athletics track there was further medal joy for the relay team – 25-year-old Aoife Beston from Claremorris, Co Mayo, 42 year-old Donal O’Mahoney from Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, 26-year-old Timothy Morahan from Rathmines, Dublin and 20 year old James Meenan from Dundalk Co Louth – who won a silver medal.
In badminton there was a gold medal in the mixed doubles for Amy Quinn (30) from Bray, Co Wicklow and her partner Brian Hooper (33) from Gorey, Co Wicklow. In the bocce mixed doubles Mullingar man Peter Malynn (57) and playing partner Anne Hoey (51) from Drogheda Co Louth took a silver medal after a series of great displays in the bowls type sport.
Speaking on the final day of competition Team Ireland, CEO Matt English said: “Each and every member of Team Ireland has put in an extraordinary effort here in Los Angeles. From medals, ribbon placements and personal bests, this has been one of the most successful World Games ever. A huge debt of gratitude must go to the coaches and management team who have led and assisted our athletes on every step of the way. And I know the people of Ireland will welcome back our athletes and give them the hero’s welcome they rightly deserve.”
Shaun Cassidy, regional director, Special Olympics Ulster said “Over the last week, we have been incredibly uplifted and inspired by the incredible achievements of our Team Ireland athletes. We send our congratulations to talented athletes Patrick Quinlivan from Donegal who won a massive four medals on the final day of competition and Déarbháil Savage who secured her third medal of the Games, with a Gold in the equestrian team relay. It’s fantastic to see Team Ireland’s success being celebrated at home and abroad and we look forward to welcoming them back to a hero’s welcome next week.”
The curtains come down on the 2015 World Games on Sunday 2nd of August with a closing ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum featuring performances from singer songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen and Victoria Arlen, Paralympic gold medallist.
An 88 strong Team Ireland – including 12 Ulster athletes competed in 12 different Olympic style sports over the last 10 days. Their selection comes after four years of training and competition.
Twelve local Special Olympics Ulster athletes competed in the Special Olympics World Summer Games, Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015) as part of Team Ireland: Christopher Kane, aged 19, from Lisburn and Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 20 from Ballynahinch, Co. Down (5-a side football); Carole Catling, aged 37 from Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim (table tennis); Kirsty Devlin, aged 20 from Belfast and Patrick Quinlivan, aged 32 from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal (gymnastics); Oliver Doherty, aged 38 from Buncrana, Co. Donegal, Jill Connery, aged 29 from Scarva, Co. Armagh & playing partner, Ursula McDonnell, aged 71 from Belfast (all golf); Sarah Jane Johnston, aged 35 from Lurgan, Co. Armagh (aquatics); Déarbháil Savage, aged 14 from Mowhan, Co. Armagh (equestrian); Sean Campbell, aged 30 from Coleraine (ten pin bowling); and Nuala Browne, aged 38 from Strabane, Co. Tyrone (kayaking).
A 40-strong coaching and management team are supporting the athletes in Los Angeles, with 155 Team Ireland volunteers working at the Games. Over 300 family members have also made the trip to the World Games to support Team Ireland athletes.
Follow Team Ireland at the World Games:
Twitter: @SOIreland use & @SO_Ulster the hashtags, #TeamIreland #LA2015 & #SupportanAthlete
Facebook: Special Olympics Ireland & Special Olympics Ulster
Website: specialolympics.ie
Special Olympics is a year-round sports organisation for athletes with intellectual disabilities and is supported by the Irish Sports Council, theNI Executive and Sport NI. Team Ireland sponsors include Eircom, Aer Lingus and Gala who all pledged significant funds to help send Team Ireland to Los Angeles.
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