Mystery benefactor saves the day and leaves cycling team riding high

MEMBERS of Argentina’s cycling team cried with joy yesterday when a generous mystery donor delivered three new racing bikes worth at least €1,000 each.

Two of the team's three bikes were damaged in transit from Argentina and one turned out to be beyond repair.

The cyclists could not afford to buy new bikes and other cycling apparatus but they kept their spirits up and were determined to participate in the event.

With some of the races taking place one after the other, coach Alejandro Feldman had to push the bicycle back to the starting line as fast as he could after each one so another athlete could begin racing.

The team have done incredibly well, winning a total of nine medals to date three silver and five gold.

None of the team members know who donated the bikes, which arrived in a courier van at lunchtime yesterday.

Misael Taboada could not believe his eyes when he saw the top of the range racing machines.

"I am really excited. This is great," he said.

Their coach Alejandro could not contain his delight and started jumping up and down. "Now we can really prove just how good we are," he said.

This is the first Games in which cycling has been included as a competitive sport.

Meanwhile, writers Joseph O'Connor and Marian Keyes gave 15-minute readings on the theme 'Share The Feeling' to athletes and supporters yesterday.

O'Connor read an extract from his diary on the 1994 World Cup held in the United States, because it was another huge sporting occasion for Ireland.

He also read a piece about becoming a father for the first time three years ago when his son James was born.

O'Connor also told how he was inspired by former South African president Nelson Mandela when he declared on Saturday night that everybody had challenges to overcome for some that meant being the best Olympian while for others it meant being the best parent.

But, the writer said, while it was very important that we staged events like the Special Olympics, Ireland was still far from perfect when it came to the treatment of people with disabilities.

"Our politicians are hopefully as human as the rest of us and maybe will be encouraged to think about these issues in a more creative way in the future," he said.