PARALYMPICS Irish Paralympic team for Beijing Games set to be biggest since Atlanta 1996

Friday 4th April 2008

Irish Paralympic team for Beijing Games set to be biggest since Atlanta 1996

The Irish team for the upcoming Paralympic Games** in Beijing this September is set to be an impressive 44 in number following the recent announcement of Bipartite Commission Invitation slots by International Paralympic Sports Federations and the International Paralympic Committee.

The increase in team size represents a significant achievement by the Paralympic Council of Ireland (PCI)* as it is in contrast to that of other western nations who are facing reductions in team size as a result of the escalating number of nations competing at the Games leaving qualification places at a premium.
 
Ireland secured six slots for the Games via the invitation system; one athletics, one equestrian, one table tennis, and three swimming with two further sailing places expected which would complete Irish qualification effort and finalise the official team size at a notable 44. The final athlete selection for the Games will be made by the PCI in late June and announced at an event on July 2nd.

Irish Chef de Mission for the Games Jimmy Byrne expressed his delight: “This is absolutely great news and ensures our team has actually increased in size from the 41 in Athens and the 40 in Sydney prior to that at a time when qualification is harder than ever before and most other western nations are seeing their teams diminish in size. Huge credit is due to the PCI for their team building strategy which focused on sports such as swimming & cycling and this is a wonderful return on the Irish Sports Council’s significant investment in the team, and in Paralympic Sport in general”.

News of the additional places comes at an ideal time with all those athletes still eligible for selection for the Games coming together today in Limerick for a PCI Multisport Training Camp as part of the preparations for Beijing. The three day camp will see several training sessions over the eight sports and a number of information sessions for the team in the areas of media training, sports science and medicine, and athlete career support. To continue the series of motivational guest speakers at the PCI camps, Everest and Antartic Adventurer, Pat Falvey will address the team in Limerick over the weekend. At the last multi-sport camp former Irish cricket coach Adi Birrell carried out this role.

*The Paralympic Council of Ireland was founded in 1987 and is responsible for the preparation and management of the Irish team in the lead up to, and at, the Paralympic Games every four years.

**Olympic style games for athletes with a physical disability were first held in Rome in 1960. Today, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes with physical and sensory disabilities. The Games emphasise the participants’ athletic achievements rather than their disability. The movement has grown dramatically since its first days. The number of athletes participating in Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 to 4000 athletes from 153 countries set to compete in Beijing in 2008.

The Paralympic Games have always been held in the same year as the Olympic Games, and in recent times at the same venue. The Chinese city of Beijing will host the 2008 Paralympic Games from September 6th – 17th, and London will host the 2012 Games. Ireland has a proud tradition at the Games, winning four medals in Athens in 2004. Irish Paralympic athletes are supported and funded under the Irish Sports Council’s elite support systems with approximately €1.2million allocated in 2008.

Ends.
Issued on behalf of the Paralympic Council of Ireland by the Irish Sports Council

For more information:
John Fulham, communications@pcireland.ie or 087-2709182
or
Sinéad McElroy, smcelroy@irishsportscouncil.ie or 087-6338512