Hailing from Galway, 29-year-old cyclist Richael Timothy is set to partake in the C1-3 road race along a 56.3 kilometre route against 13 other competitors. Previously, the former underage Irish soccer international and Roscommon footballer finished 10th in a 500m time trial, 7th in a 3,000m individual pursuit on the track, and 12th in an individual time trial on the road, at the Paris Paralympics. This time around, she aims at securing her first medal.
Britney Arendse, who was born in South Africa but shifted to Ireland with her family at the age of five, is poised to represent the country in the Paris Paralympics. The 24-year-old young talent will be among the eight contenders in the powerlifting “up to 79kg” weight division. Britney was first introduced to Para Powerlifting at a wheelchair basketball match when she was 16, marking the beginning of her career in the sport.
In her impressive accolade record, Britney bagged both gold and bronze at the 2018 World Para Powerlifting Fazza Championships in the 67kg category and set a new Junior World Record in the 73kg group, an accolade first for an Irish athlete. She continued her excellent form into 2019, by breaking her own Junior World Record with a 100kg lift, earning her a gold and bronze. This victory led to Britney’s rise from the 11th spot to the 8th in the global rankings. As recently as March 2021, Britney secured a bronze medal in the 67kg weight class at the WPP World Cup in Manchester with a lift weighing 102kg.
Mary Fitzgerald, originally from Kilkenny, became a member of the Irish Paralympic team in 2019 and since then, she has taken part in two global para-athletics championships (one in Dubai in 2019, and another in Paris in 2023), the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, where she finished seventh, and the European Para Athletics Championships in 2021, held in Bydgoszcz, Poland. She secured a bronze medal in the latter. She has earned a degree in occupational therapy from University College Cork, graduating in June 2022, and is presently working part-time as a children’s therapist.
Turning to a global event, France will be competing against Argentina at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in the final round of the blind football tournament for the gold medal at 19:00. A blind football team comprises four outfield players and a fully-sighted goalkeeper. To ensure a level playing field, all players wear blindfolds during the match.
The gameplay involves two halves, each 20 minutes long, on a 40 metre by 20 metre pitch. The sidelines are equipped with boards on both sides to keep the specially-designed rattling ball within the playing field. A guide positioned behind the opponent’s goal aids the attacking players. Spectators are expected to maintain silence during the game, and players use the word “voy” as a signal when they are approaching an opponent, attempting a tackle, or searching for the ball.
Speaking of Irish participation, Richael Timothy will compete in Women’s C1-3 Road race at 8.30am. Mary Fitzgerald is set to participate in the final of the F40 Shot Put at 10.41am, and Britney Arendse will be seen in the Powerlifting (up to 79kg) competition at 4pm.