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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
PARALYMPICS: WHIRLWIND WEDNESDAY FOR IRELAND WITH GOLD AND TWO BRONZE
By Cycling Ireland
5 Sep 2012,
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Gold for Rohan, Bronze for Both Tandems
In what has been an historic moment in the history of cycling in Ireland, the Paracycling team has had a medal haul in the Time Trial events with a Gold for Mark Rohan and Bronze for the tandems of James Brown and Damien Shaw, and Catherine Walsh and Fran Meehan. The women’s second tandem of Katie-George Dunlevy and Sandra Fitzgerald also performed superbly to finish in an incredible 5th place.
Mark Rohan was always the main man to beat in the Men’s Individual H1 Time Trial, going into the event as reigning World Champion, and he set the tone early on, posting the fastest time at the halfway mark. Finishing in a time of 35.41.54 Rohan beat his nearest rival, Lion of Israel, by over 11 seconds.
After the event Rohan said “I am delighted with my result, there was a lot of pressure on me to perform today”. Like all the athletes he credited his success to the strong team around him, with Coach Brian Nugent, Manager Denis Toomey and Mechanics Gerry Beggs and Terry Cromer being of crucial assistance.
First off this afternoon were Brown and Shaw who came tantalising close to a medal in the Pursuit last week, who were not regarded as favourites for a medal. However, the duo, who are together since last December, have been inching towards a medal throughout the World Cup Series. Gold went to Spain, with reigning World Champions Italy in Silver.
After the race Brown said “we are riding a new bike, we opted for power rather than aerodynamics, and it really seems to have paid off”.
Walsh and Meehan were next off in the women’s tandem who won silver in the Pursuit on the track earlier this week. Despite being World Bronze Medalists in this event, the pair were not treating it as a priority event, and were not confident that the course would suit them prior to the event. However, after their rest day yesterday they were able to put in a massive effort to come away with a Bronze medal in an event won by The Netherlands, with New Zealand in second place.
After the event Meehan said “we have a really strong team, and I think that’s what has moved us on, we support each other, share our advice, and it means we all improve.
Dunlevy and Fitzgerald also rode an incredible race to finish in 5th place, just 19 seconds behind Walsh and Meehan.
The Time Trial, also known as the test of truth, is a race against the clock, with riders starting one minute apart. Based in Brands Hatch the course is an 8km loop with 4km being within the race circuit, and 4km out on the surrounding roads.
Thursday 5th September:
Provisional Time Table
ROAD RACE
10.30 Cathal Miller
14.30 Colin Lynch, Enda Smyth
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