Graduate rower has high hope for Rio

A GAA player who rowed for the Irish Paralympic team after been struck down with a degenerative eye disease was one of more than 750 students who celebrated graduating from the University of Limerick yesterday.

Shane Ryan was 16 when he began suffering the effects of Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome, an inherited genetic condition which affects approximately one in 100,000.

The 25-year-old rower, who represented Ireland in the London 2012 Games, graduated with a certificate in Exercise and Health Fitness after completing a six-month course.