President leads tributes to 'outstanding' Paralympians

President Michael D Higgins is leading the tributes to members of the Irish Paralympic team on their "outstanding" medal-winning performances at the London games.

Ireland has so far secured four gold medals at this year's Games and now lies in 10th place overall in the gold medal stakes.

The successes were headlined by world record breaking 800m champion Michael McKillop and 100m sprinter Jason Smyth who also set a new world record.

The other two gold medallists were amputee Darragh McDonald, aged 18 and from Wexford, who won gold medal in the men’s 400m freestyle swimming and the first Irish gold, and 16-year-old Bethany Firth from Seaforde, Co Down, who won gold a 100m backstroke division for athletes with intellectual disability.

Jason Smyth's record-beating performance means he is now the fastest Paralympian in the world, but he says he would have been happy just getting gold.

"It doesn't matter how quick or slow you run," he said. "You come to major championships to beat people and to come home with the gold."

The modest medal-winner conceded though that world records "are an added bonus".

“I want to congratulate Team Ireland athletes Jason Smyth, Michael McKillop and Darragh McDonald on their outstanding gold medal winning performances at the London Paralympics,” the President said.

“These performances, following on the earlier success of Bethany Firth on Friday, are indicative of the overall determination and preparation of our team.

“I wish all our paralympian athletes every success over the coming days.”

McKillop, from Newtownabbey in Antrim, has cerebral palsy and is one of Ireland’s most successful Paralympic athletes.

Smyth, from Eglinton in Derry, has only 10% vision and also competes in the 200m. He trains with USA Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay and is regarded as the world’s fastest Paralympian.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny led congratulations from the political ranks, describing the team as an inspiration.