IRELAND PARACYCLING DUO Eve McCrystal and Katie-George Dunlevy are closer than ever at the moment — both in isolation together through the Covid-19 crisis.
The pair are used to spending long hours together around the year — they are Paralympic and World Championship gold medallists on the tandem bike — but this is like nothing they’ve done before.
Originally from Crawley in the UK, Dunlevy is happily spending life in lockdown on these shores in the company of pilot McCrystal and her family in Dundalk.
“It’s going well,” McCrystal explained in a video with Paralympics Ireland. “It wasn’t planned.
“Katie had come over two weeks before all this happened. Our team, had an engagement camp pencilled in at the Institute of Sport and Katie came over for that just to get a week done before we went to Dublin.
“Then this all kicked off and she hasn’t gone home.”
“Yeah,” Dunleavy laughs. “In those first few weeks, we managed to get out on the bike and do a lot of miles on the tandem. It just kind of got worse really quickly, it’s changed so quickly, hasn’t it?
“We were going really well this year coming up to the Road World Championships at the beginning of June. I was coming over to get some tandem time in on the road and the engagement camp, and then the restrictions changed so that we couldn’t go more than 2km so we’ve been indoors training.
“It was the best decision for my family at home — I live with my parents — and for me, with the risk of travelling and everything that I would stay here. We’re just training hard every day.”
Enjoying the company of McCrystal and her two daughters, Dunlevy adds:
“It’s a change but I’ve been over here to stay with Eve throughout the years on and off, especially in the summer, getting time in on the bike together. The girls know me quite well, so that’s not so much of a change but the duration is.
“I’m just making sure that I’m staying in touch with my family. Sometimes I’m a bit homesick and struggling a little bit, but on the whole I’m good and we’re training well. I’m enjoying it. It’s not forever and I’m making the most of the time here with Eve.”
The change of family situation certainly doesn’t bother McCrystal, who had taken time off from her work as a member of An Garda Síochána to focus on Tokyo 2020.
“It’s fine. I’m always an open-door policy. I love people around me and I’m definitely a people’s person so to be honest, I prefer that she’s here. We are motivation for each other through these times. We’re on the bike together, we have gym twice a week.
“In my head I’m just looking at like it’s just a long training camp and I have to say I’m really enjoying it.”
Both training indoors on stationary bikes and “ready to go if anything comes up,” McCrystal and Dunlevy feel they have gotten even closer as a duo and a team through this time — and it’s really benefitting them.
“We always were close,” McCrystal says. “I suppose the two of us didn’t know how we’d manage over a number of weeks together at a time but we’re both very easy-going. All we want to do is get up and train; get faster and get stronger.
“You could sit down and take the negatives out of all of this for both of us, but we’ve just taken positives. For me not having to take the kids to school, to go horse-riding, to go to Gaelic, I’m getting an awful lot of rest that I never would have got before so I can see that benefit. I’m learning something new: I should be resting more.
“We always get on, and I think this has benefitted us massively.”
Dunlevy offers: “It’s Eve’s house but she has welcomed me and we just work so well together. It has brought us closer, we’re getting to know each other maybe even a bit more even though we know each other so well — we’ve been training and racing together for many years now.
“It’s just a different scenario and situation for us at the moment, but we’re getting on and motivating each other. We’re so driven, now more than ever, and even with Tokyo another year away, it’s still the same for us.”
See the full interview here.
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Frawley deserves to keep his spot in the squad. Would go for 6/2 split with Frawley covering. Tough on Ringrose, but shows the depth of the squad at the moment. The impact of the 6 forward has been massive each time.
@Luke Guerin: Agree. This makes sense
@Luke Guerin: I think it can go either way Ringrose or Frawley in a 6:2 split. Ringrose kicked for Blackrock, while still a centre, during his early years.
@Luke Guerin: It’s a very fair shout but you could definitely argue the toss. I would guess Farrell will go 5:3 on the bench for England. The bench we had the last day in the forwards was immense and made a huge impact but we were definitely treading water out the backs in the final quarter. We could end up, like we did against Wales, with a centre on the wing, and we are then just one more incident away from a patchwork back line. Probably too big a risk for such a big game. For me I’d be more comfortable with a 5:3 with Murray, Frawley, Ringrose.
@Mark Murphy: agreed, AF will drop Baird for Ringrose and play it safe . We’d have huge problems if one of our centres or wings went down injured early on v England
@Mark Murphy: yeah, fair point. No reason to take such a risk I suppose. Have loved our version of the bomb squad though
@Luke Guerin: Keenan not back in training today, so discussion may be academic. If he’s not back, I guess it will be 6/2 and Ringrose will get 23. And is there a hint that Tadhg F is out? Only reason why Bealham would not be risked for the Connacht game.
@Luke Guerin: This is the challenge Farrell faces… it’s a tough one, but much better to have to choose from too many good players than not enough. As brilliant as Frawley was on Saturday, Ringrose is a 50 cap player, 2nd only to BOD in the 13 jersey. The question is not whether or not Ringrose is in the 23, its who drops out for him – Henshaw or Frawley?
Henshaw went v well indeed in the first 2 games. That said, he looked very slow against wales (I thought that ‘burst’ down the line where he kicked ahead was POM as Henshaw looked like a forward. Add to that 2 things :
1. Ireland rarely got outside Wales outside of kick passes (bravo to the 2 young lads) & Henshaw a primary reason here in terms of his style of play, & lack of pace
2. Whilst Aki & Henshaw are not the Danae player, they have a lot more in common with each other than either do with Ringrose. Ringrose offers so much more in attack, better lines, better play making, and this spread of playmsking amongst Crowley / Sexton, Ringrose, Keenan and Hansen has been critical for Ireland the past 3 years. Ringrose has to start, we will not maul England as much as in the first 2 games.
@Andrew Hurley: just checking, are you Ringrose agent, the missed tackle count is well down, with Ringrose not playing.
@Michael Colleary: ‘missed’ tackles dont tell the whole story as regards defensive nous. U can ‘miss’ a rush up tackle but still be very effective to the defensive line’s integrity oddly enough
So 5/3 split, we lose Conan or Baird?
6/2 split we lose Frawley or Ringrose?
Bealham is miles ahead of Jager so that’s an easy one.
The other decisions ain’t easy but I’d go with Conan & Frawley as those 2 sit better in Faz’s framework to date
I would reinstate Keenan and Ringrose, Henshaw no 23 with Byrne 22 in a 5/3 split. Can someone let Andy know, I dont have his number oddly enough. Ringrose is our outstanding and natural 13 imo, no disrespect to Henshaw who has been excellent in first 2 games
@Arjuna: Byrne? whaa?
Farrell needs to have a good think before selecting the team. England and Scotland have world class place kickers and they will kick Ireland off the park if they continue to give away stupid penalties. I suspect James Ryan might be reinstated over McCarthy for that reason (although the McCarthy Itoje battle
Might be epic). Regardless I think Ireland need to be much more direct with England as the pretty rugby in the first half last week didn’t translate into a decent points margin.