The 2024 Paralympic Games have begun after a spectacular opening ceremony in Paris and will run from August 29 until September 8.
Ireland will be represented by 35 athletes in nine different sports during the Games and day one of the Paralympics will feature nine Team Ireland competitors.
Irish athletes have already made an impressive start to the games by securing two final places in the event’s opening day.
Para Swimming
Team Ireland have already secured two final appearances as Róisín Ní Riain takes fourth place in the women’s S13 100m Butterfly and Nicole Turner places third in Heat Two of the S6 50m freestyle heat.
After her impressive performance in the heats, Ní Riain said: “I’m happy with that and to get out there for the first swim. It’s a good time, and I’m into the final, so its job done this morning.”
“Whenever I get out to swim, I want to give my best for myself. Whatever happens after that, I’ll be happy with that. I was expecting it to be loud. I had a French girl in my heat, so I knew it was coming - it was nice.”
Turner is competing in her third Paralympics Games and aims to improve upon her performance when she competes in the freestyle finals.
“I’m quite happy; it’s a nice opener. The crowd is a lot different from Tokyo, but it drives us on that extra bit. The time is just outside my personal best. The aim for this evening is to get closer to that, if not better.” said Turner.
“I just want to enjoy myself. Tokyo was quite special for me, but it’s been a long three years. I’ve learned to enjoy the sport as serious as it is. I want to enjoy myself and see what happens after that.”
Derry woman, Dearbhaile Brady also competed in the S6 50m freestyle heat alongside Turner and achieved a personal best time of 36.45 seconds on her Paralympic debut but a fifth placed finish means she will not advance to the finals.
Brady shared her feelings after falling just short of a finals spot:
““I’m really happy; it went well. It was a personal best. I came out today very nervous; I think it’s good to have them. With it being my first Games and first event, I was hoping to make the final, but it didn’t happen.”
“I still have one more event, so I’m going to put my head down.”
The Derry swimmer will have another opportunity to show her skills when she competes in the S6 50m Fly on September 3.
Turner will compete against seven other women in the finals, including the winner of heat two, Ellie Marks, who achieved America’s record time of 33.05 seconds. The action will get underway at 6.19 pm on Thursday August 29.
Róisín Ní Riain will compete shortly after as she is set to appear in the S13 100m Butterfly Final at 7.15pm on Thursday August 29.
Para Cycling and Para Archery
Team Ireland will not only be representing in swimming in their opening day of the Games as Irish athletes are set to compete in both the Para Cycling and Para Archery.
Para Cyclist Richael Timothy progressed to the C1-3 3000m Women’s Individual Pursuit Final when she recorded a personal best time of 4.05.247 in her heat coming 7th overall.
The duo of Martin Gordan and Eoin Mullan, and the pairing of Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin are all set to compete in the B4 4000m Individual Pursuit in the Cycling event at 12:41 on Thursday.
Kerrie Leonard will be the sole athlete of the day representing Ireland in the W2 Individual Compound Open Archery Event at noon.
