London Calling
Those five famous rings roll into London this summer as Britain hosts the Olympic Ganes 2012. For many, it will be the highlight of this year’s sporting calendar and, as always, Irish sports stars will be striving to reach the winners’ podium – or at least to achieve personal bests in their pursuit of success. Craig Fitzpatrick talks to four athletes with everything to play for.
Craig Fitzpatrick, 25 Jan 2012
London makes history this summer, becoming the first city to play host to a modern Olympic Games on three occasions. From Wembley Stadium to the O2 Arena, Lord’s Cricket Ground to Weymouth Coast, the world’s finest physical specimens, marked out not only for their superlative abilities but also the fierce hard graft required of the modern athlete, will gather for the greatest competition of them all. And there will be a collection of Irish hopefuls in each discipline, aiming to be part of the great drama.
For a small island, we have a proud history in the Games, littered with startling, triumphant moments and inspiring icons, whose feats are indelibly imprinted on our collective mind. Ronnie Delaney running to gold back in the ‘50s; David Wilkins and James Wilkinson sailing to silver in Moscow 1980; John Treacy snatching silver in Los Angeles; the exploits of Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullough in Barcelona; and, of course, the extreme highs and lows of the Michelle Smith story – the latter aside, these are memories to which our current Olympians hope to add. Among those mounting the Irish Olympic challenge this year are John Joe Nevin, Annalise Murphy, Jason Smyth and Chloe Murphy – competing in boxing, sailing, running and badminton respectively. Let’s see what they have to say at the beginning of what may may well be the crucialyear of their young lives...
Jason Smyth
Jason Smyth’s story is one of triumph over adversity. No wonder he is currently earning plaudits left, right and centre, most notably from his training partner (and second fastest 100 metre runner in the world) Tyson Gay.
Born in 1987 to a Mormon family from Eglington, Derry, the Northerner was diagnosed at an early age with Stardgadt’s Disease, a condition that affects his central vision. As a teen he was spotted by track coach Stephen Maguire, who took him under his wing and steered the young runner to the highest level of Paralympic competition. After just four years running, in 2008 Smyth picked up two gold medals for Ireland in the 100m and 200m at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, whilst smashing both world records in a feat akin to Usain Bolt’s extraordinary achievements that same summer. Confirmed as a Paralympian par excellence, Smyth focussed on another goal – competing not only in the next Paralympics, but the general 2012 Olympic Games as well. Part of that plan – thanks to a deal Stephen Maguire brokered with coach Lance Brauman in 2008 – involved relocating to the National Training Centre in Clermont, Florida, to run alongside the likes of Tyson Gay. Smyth then became the first Paralympian to compete in a European Championships in 2010. While he has not qualified yet, Smyth is very much on course for London. With the 100ms in mind, he has 0.04 of a second to shave off his personal best. If he does, he’ll be making some remarkable history.
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