This article is from page 92 of the 2009-09-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 92 JPG
CLARE returned from the Europe- an junior lifesaving championships last weekend with two bronze med- als, two fourth places and two fifth places.
As part of Team Ireland that won six medals altogether, Bernard Ca- hill, Dylan Barrett, and Siobhan Mc- Grath acquitted themselves well at the championships in Holland.
The efforts of Ireland’s fittest jun- ior Lifeguards (Under 19) ensured a place in the top ten Internation- ally for Team Ireland, coming eighth overall in a competition that saw 140 competitors from fourteen countries compete in the premier Lifesaving event in Europe.
Clare’s two bronze medallists were Bernard Cahill and Dylan Barrett in the board rescue. Cahill and Cormac O’Sullivan finished in fourth in res- cue tube, while Siobhan McGrath and Barrett had a fifth place finish cree
Jim Lawlor, Chairman of Irish
Water Safety’s Sports Commission expressed his pride in their achieve- ments.
‘The Championships simulate real life rescue situations that these Jun- ior Lifesavers can expect to encoun- ter as Lifeguards. To secure six In- ternational medals at European level is testimony to how hard they trained and how well they prepared as indi- viduals and as a Team.”
Commenting on the importance of Irish Water Safety’s programme of Lifesaving Sport, Mr Lawlor added, “Lifesaving sportis primarily intend- ed to encourage lifesavers to develop, maintain and improve the essential physical and mental skills needed to save lives in the aquatic environment. Lifesaving competitions consist of a variety of competitions to further develop and demonstrate lifesaving Skills, fitness and motivation.
“Children around Ireland as young as eight can get involved in a Series of progressive Lifesaving classes taught by Irish Water Safety, through the www.iws.ie website.”