The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games brought some unforgettable memories. From rowing to boxing and every other discipline, Team Ireland gave us the most amazing moments and lifted the entire nation. It is now the turn of our Paralympians, and we couldn’t be more excited!
Paralympics Ireland
Paralympics Ireland is the National Paralympic Committee for Ireland, and is responsible for preparing and managing the Irish team at the Paralympic Games which are held every four years in parallel with the Olympic Games. This year, we send our hopes and dreams to Tokyo with 29 para athletes, representing Ireland across 9 disciplines, including para table tennis, shooting, power lifting, archery, canoe, swimming, cycling, equestrian, and athletics. You can find the full list of Paralympians travelling to Tokyo on the Paralympics Ireland website.
We are really excited to cheer on all of our Paralympians. We can’t wait to see Ellen Keane perform in the pool, and watch Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop on the track. Of particular interest to Adam and our family will be the Cork athletes. Yes – we are biased – so good luck Pat O’Leary and Niamh McCarthy!
Niamh McCarthy, discus
Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Adam’s adventures – Paralympics?
The Paralympics is something Adam would definitely aspire to in the future. We as a family share the view expressed by Ellen Keane on the RTÉ Late Late Show - the word “Paralympian” is really important. By using it frequently in our conversations and in the media – we acknowledge that we are referring to people who are elite athletes living with a condition or disability of some kind. This is so necessary to inspire young children like Adam; for them to appreciate there is something they can aspire to but that it takes hard work and is elite.
We are so grateful Adam is growing up in a country with role models like Ellen, Colin Judge, and all our Paralympians. We loved this interview with Colin where he talks about attending the London 2012 Paralympics as a turning point for him. Thanks for the inspiration Colin, good luck in Tokyo - and we will definitely be heading over to cheer you on in Paris 2024!!
Para athletes dedicate themselves so fully to their sport. Recently we were fortunate to speak to a Paralympic gold medallist from Team GB, Karen Darke, who spoke to Adam about her journey and gave him some training and mindset tips on becoming a para athlete (you can read more about our chat with Karen in our next post coming soon!). We were overwhelmed by the commitment and intensity Karen puts into every aspect of her life in order to be the best.
Karen Darke pictured with Adam King, his Dad David, brother Danny, and Juelie McLoughlin (Cadence PR)
Good luck
We are confident the many months and years of hard work and training will pay off in the coming weeks in Tokyo for Team Ireland. We will be watching from home and cheering you on every step of the way. We ask everyone to get behind our Paralympians and show them all the support they deserve.
GO TEAM PARALYMPICS IRELAND!!