UCC Student Wins Silver At Paralympics
Carrigaline native Niamh McCarthy has claimed a discus double for Team Ireland last night when the Corkonian captured silver in the F41 Discus Final in Rio de Janeiro last night.Following on from the successes of fellow Cork woman Orla Barry, who won silver in the F57 discus event, Ms. McCarthy made it a double for Team Ireland when her penultimate throw of 26.67m was enough to secure herself a second place finish, just behind Tunisia’s Raoua Tlili.This medal is a huge testament to the hard work & dedication of the BsC Biological and Chemical Sciences Student, and her continuing rise to prominence at the top of her sport.Niamh admitted she originally tried the sport out “for the laugh” following a talent search in UCD following the 2012 Olympic Games. In just three years competing in the discus, the 22 year old has won Bronze at the 2015 IPC Atletico World Championships in Doha before moving on to winning Silver in the IPC European Championships in Athens, setting a new European record at the latter. Now aged 22, Ms. McCarthy has an Olympic Silver Medal to add to her collection
Ireland are currently sitting in 25th on the overall medal table for the Paralympics, with 9 medals overall. These medals include Ms.McCarthy's silver in the discus, Jason Smyth's third successive 100m T13 Gold medal, Michael McKillop's second successive Gold in the T37 1500m, Orla Barry's silver in the F57 discus, Colin Lynch's silver in the C2 Time Trial (cycling), Eoghan Clifford's gold in the C3 Time Trial & Bronze C3 Individual Pursuit, Katie-George Dunlevy & Eve McCrystal gold-winning performance in the Women's Tandem Road Race, and swimmer Ellen Keane's first Paralympic bronze in the SB8 100m Breaststroke (swimming). The 2016 Paralympic Games will conclude this Sunday with the Men's T54 Marathon.