Dr Patrick O'Leary Q&A: ‘Amputate the leg and get me well’

Dr Patrick O’Leary lives in Galway with his wife Jude and children Sean, 10, and Joe, 8. He lectures in organic chemistry at NUIG and, in September, will be Ireland’s first para-canoeist to compete in the Paralympics. He qualified for Rio by winning the KL3 B final at last month’s World Para-Canoeing Championships in a new personal best time. He has been canoeing for 26 years but only in para-canoeing for the past three.

Q: You’re 43 years of age but a relative newcomer to Paralympic sport. Why?

A: