This article is from page 65 of the 2011-06-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 65 JPG
CLARE PEOPLE have been asked to send messages of support to the counties two athletes who are bidding for glory at this years Special Olympics World Summer Games in Greece.
Seventeen year old Ciara O’Loughlin, who comes from Ballyea just outside Inagh, will compete in athletics while Sixmilebridge’s Michael Neville is part of the Irish Soccer Team. The pair flew off yesterday as part of the 124 strong Irish team who will hope to bring glory to the Banner County over the next two weeks.
Ciara’s parents and four other family members all flew out to Athens yesterday to show their support to the Irish team. Speaking from Heathrow Airport yesterday, Ciara mother Collette urged Clare people to sent messages of support to the Irish athletes who will compete at the games.
“They will have a wall for all the athletes out at the games and as people send on messages these message will be left up for all the athletes to read. It would be great if people would leave messages for the Clare athletes and all the Irish athletes,” said Collette.
“Ciara is a member of the Shannon Flyers Club and she has worked very hard for this. She has been training four days a week down in Clare and once a month she has been going to Dublin to take part in training with the Irish team.
“Ciara goes to St Anne’s School in Ennis and everyone gave her a great send off there last week. She also got a great send off from the club who have done so much to help her qualify for the Olympics.”
Ciara, who just turned 17 last week, will compete in the 100 metre sprint and the shot putt while she may also compete in the 100 metre relay race.
Sixmilebridge man Michael was introduced to the Special Olympics through his involvement in a training centre in Limerick four years ago.
Michael has an impressive record in scoring goals, having scored 36 for his club. He competed in the 2010 Special Olympics Ireland Games in Limerick.
His involvement in Special Olympics has greatly improved Michael’s confidence. He now loves going out meeting new people and playing his favourite sport. Michael is a sports fanatic. He loves watching sport such as rugby and hurling and enjoys reading books about sport. His sporting hero is Robbie Keane.
Team Ireland will join 7,500 athletes from 185 nations at the Games which will be the biggest sporting event in the world this summer.
Messages of support for Michael and Ciara can be emailed to eteam@specialolympics.ie while people can also follow their progress live on www.specialolympics.ie.