Medals and personal bests for Shoot N Stars athletes
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The Shoot N Stars with members of Mullingar Community Policing at Mullingar Train Station on the morning they left for the All-Ireland Games.Image 2 of 6
Local basketball contestants at the All-Ireland Special Olympics Games were back row, from left, John Matthews, Thomas Daly and Sean Geraghty. In front from left, David Corroon, David Hogg, Monica O’Gorman, Robert Strutynska and Jamie Cooney. INSET: Adam McGee with his medal for swimming at the All-Ireland Special Olympics.Image 3 of 6
Winners in the All-Ireland Special Olympics basketball were, from left, David Corroon, Monica O’Gorman, David Hogg and Robert Strutynska.Image 4 of 6
Adam McGee, James Fisher and Amanda Butler who took part in the swimming at the All-Ireland Special Olympics.Image 5 of 6
Amanda Butler with her swimming medals.Image 6 of 6
James Fisher with his swimming medal.Mullingar’s representatives at the All-Ireland Special Olympics Games received a rapturous welcome home on Sunday of last week after a successful weekend of competition.
The 12 athletes and three coaches returned with gold, silver and bronze medals, fourth place finishes and a number of personal bests.
In swimming, James Fisher, Amanda Butler and Adam McGee won gold medals, two silver medals, a bronze medal and a fourth-place finish between them.
Thomas Daly, John Matthews, Sean Geraghty, Jamie Cooney, David Corroon, David Hogg and Robert Strutynska represented Mullingar in basketball, winning silver and also securing a fourth-place finish.
Monica O’Gorman won silver in basketball, while Jamie Kavanagh finished fourth in the football competition.
The athletes are members of Shoot ‘N’ Stars, a club with which Bernie Corroon has been involved since it was founded in 1997. Having served as secretary for about 20 years, she now coaches basketball and bocce. The other coaches are Anne Marie Hogg and Catriona Cooney.
The group stayed at Maynooth College during the Games and attended the opening ceremony at Tallaght Football Stadium.
"It was really fantastic; the sun shone and there were 1,200 athletes and 2,000 family members and supporters there. It was a fantastic experience," Bernie said.
"It was four tough, action-packed days, starting at 6am each morning, and filled with amazing talent, skill, fun and good humour," she added.
Bernie said the athletes had been training for the Games for four years and had to qualify at both area and regional level to reach the national event.
"They truly did themselves, their families and their clubs proud. A fantastic achievement all around," Bernie said.
She was delighted by both the send-off and the homecoming afforded to the group. "We got a huge send-off from Mullingar Railway Station last Thursday when about 100 people turned up. St Brigid’s Choir sang and played instruments, and the Muiríosa Foundation and Community Gardaí came along to support us," she said.
There was another large gathering of supporters at the train station on Sunday week last to welcome the athletes and their coaches home. There was a further celebration for the athletes in the Annebrook House Hotel on Monday of last week.