Ireland bid to reach new heights at London Games

PARALYMPICS Ireland are bidding to qualify an unprecedented 50 athletes for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

The movement has never been stronger, a fact reinforced at the IPC world athletics championships in Auckland where world record holder for the 800m in the T37 category, Michael McKillop, set a new mark for the 1500m yesterday, while Catherine Wayland won silver in the F51 club throw on Saturday.

McKillop and Orla Barry are tipped to become Ireland’s first world champions of 2011 later this week in the T37 800m and F57 discus respectively.