Irish Team ready to take on world's elite at Paracycling Track World Championships in LA

The 2012 UCI Paracycling Track World Championships commence in Los Angeles on Thursday 9th February and the Irish Team is hopeful of some podium finishes with the London 2012 just around the corner.

The Irish 11 strong squad includes Colin Lynch, the current Road Time Trial World Champion, who will compete in the C2 1km Time Trial, the 3km Individual Pursuit and the Team Sprint competition. Current Track World Bronze Medal holders, Catherine Walsh and Francine Meehan will compete in the Female Tandem 1km Time Trial and 3km Individual Pursuit.

Other team members include Cathal Miller who will compete in the C5 1km Time Trial, the 4km Individual Pursuit and the Team Sprint. Enda Smyth will compete in the C3 1km Time Trial, the 3km Individual Pursuit and the Team Sprint.

Katie-George Dunlevy and Pilot Sandra Fitzgerald will also complete in the Female Tandem 1km Time Trial and 3km Individual Pursuit. Two Male Tandems will also represent Ireland in LA with James Brown and pilot Damien Shaw and Andrew Fitzgerald and pilot Con Collis both competing in the 1km Time Trial and 4km Individual Pursuit competitions.

This is the competition where Country Ranking Points can be accrued towards London Paralympic Games qualification. Results will firstly help to secure maximum Ireland slots for London and secondly will determine which athletes will be awarded these slots.

Nancy Chillingworth, Paralympic Performance Director: "This event is the final chance for athletes to qualify places for Ireland for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The team have performed exceptionally since the Beijing Games and should be confident of continued success in LA and in London later this year."