Press Release
26.07.2021
7 Athletes Named on Team Ireland Para Cycling Squad
Paralympics Ireland have today announced the Para Cycling team that will represent Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Seven athletes have been selected for the team, five of whom will be competing at their first ever Paralympic Games. Rio gold and silver medallists, Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal will return to Tokyo with their sights firmly set on repeating the success of 2016. Ronan Grimes, Richael Timothy, Gary O’Reilly and the tandem pair of Martin Gordon and Eamon Byrnes will all be making their first appearances at the Paralympic Games.
Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal have been amongst the top competitors in the world since their medal winning performances in Rio. The tandem pair won silver on the road at the World Championships in June narrowly missing out on the gold medal in the 33.6km time trial. The duo are expected to compete in the 1000m Time Trial, 3000m Individual pursuit on the track and in the Time Trial and Road Race.
Galway’s Ronan Grimes has had some outstanding performance in the recent past including winning bronze at the Paracycling Road World Championships on the track in 2020. Ronan will be competing in the 100m Time Trial and 4000m Individual Pursuit on the track and in the 4000m Individual Pursuit and Time Trial on the road. Gary O’Reilly will be Ireland’s only hand cyclist at the Tokyo Games and the Laois man has hit form at the right time having claimed a brilliant fourth placed finish at the Para Cycling Road World Championships in Cascais last month. Gary’s two events will take place on the road as he competes in the Time Trial and Road Race.
Richael Timothy will also make her first appearance at the Paralympic Games when she competes in the 3000m Individual Pursuit and the 500m Time Trial on the track before switching to the road for the Time Trial and Road Race. Richael was a bronze medallist at the Para Cycling Track Championships in Canada in the WC3 Scrath Race in 2020 and has showed brilliant form already this season. Martin Gordon from Sligo will be joined by his pilot Eamon Byrnes on the tandem where they will have high hopes of producing some memorable performances for Team Ireland. Sprint specialists, Martin and Eamon, will be competing in the 4000m Individual Pursuit, 1000m Time Trial and the Road Time Trial.
Speaking about the announcement of the Para Cycling team that will represent Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Chef de Mission, Neasa Russell said ‘We are deligthed to announce such a strong Para Cycling squad for the Paralympic Games. Our seven athletes will all have a very strong chance of recording some memorable performances at the Games both on the Track and Road competitions. The team will depart tomorrow for their training camp and I just want to wish them the very best when we next see them in Tokyo.’
Team Ireland: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games; Para Cycling
Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal
Martin Gordon and Eamon Byrne
Richael Timothy
Ronan Grimes
Gary O’Reilly
ENDS
Photo credit – Paralympics Ireland
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