Team Ireland going for gold in Athens

THE 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games is particularly special this year as it takes place in Athens, the home of the first Olympics, from Sunday until July 4.

That’s what excites Team Ireland gymnast Pauline Connell.

“I was part of the team when the World Games were held in Dublin eight years ago and I did not think I would get there again, so it is fantastic to be going to Athens where the first ever Olympics was held.”

Basketball player Robert McDonnell is looking forward to a big party back in Ireland when it is all over. And the team will be inspired by Rory McIlroy’s success at the US Open at the weekend.

A team of 126 Irish athletes will participate in 12 sports, including aquatics, athletics, badminton, equestrian, football, golf, basketball and table tennis. There are 49 coaches and officials joining the athletes, bringing the delegation to 175, the 10th biggest.

Adrian Cornwall, from Sligo, is an Olympics veteran and has been playing badminton “for donkey’s years”.

He has competed in several sports in the past and has been part of Special Olympics since 1985. He is nothing if not confident.

“I am going for gold, and that’s it,” he says.

Hosted by Ireland in 2003, it is the major event in the Special Olympics calendar. The competition is run every four years, with athletes progressing from Area to Regional to Special Olympics Ireland Games, and finally to World Games.

Theresa McCabe, head team coach and assistant head of delegation with Team Ireland, is particularly proud of the voluntary element of Ireland’s delegation.

“We are the only delegation also sending a team of volunteers and we have 49 voluntary coaches, alone,” she told RTÉ radio. “What matters to us is not the medal haul but the competition. Our motto is ‘Let me win, but if I don’t, let me be brave in the attempt’. We have been training together once a month for the past eight months but all the athletes have also been training with their local coaches.”

The games have enjoyed huge success here and continue to resonate.

According to McCabe: “Special Olympics is like a dog with a bone. Once it gets its teeth into you, it won’t let you go.”

Former gold medallist Joe Fehilly, 43, agrees. He has been involved with Special Olympics since 1988 and is still an athlete but also helps with fundraising. He will be producing a video of the games.

One of the hosts of the World Games in Ireland in 2003, Joe is in no doubt about why this particular competition has become such a huge success.

“The athletes, the mentors, the helpers, volunteers, family members are what make the Special Olympics special,” he says.

* Follow the team’s progress of Team Ireland on specialolympics.ie.