– Ryan Bailey reports from Pontal, Rio de Janeiro
ON A TRULY memorable afternoon in Rio, Ireland won two Paralympic cycling gold medals as Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal followed Eoghan Clifford in claiming Time Trial glory.
The tandem pair blazed to victory by more than half a minute after completing the 30km circuit in a time of 38:59. Nobody could get near them.
Dunlevy and McCrystal used their track disappointment to fuel their fire and it showed as they left their closest rivals in their wake en route to a first major title as a pair.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that – Paralympic champions – it sounds nice, I’ve been dreaming of that for a long time, dreaming of that for the last four years since London,” McCrystal said.
“We’re over the moon, ecstatic, I can’t describe how I feel.”
It capped a stellar day for Team Ireland as they added four medals to the overall haul after Colin Lynch and Eoghan Clifford won silver and gold respectively before Ellen Keane won bronze in the pool.
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Fitzgibbon but I’m biased. Think he was the exceptiona youngl hurler in 2018
@Ger Buckley: Hayes but I’m biased, Fitzgibbon is some talent but Hayes performance in the final and not just his points…
Fitzgibbon by a mile. Hayes exceptional in the final, but over the course of the whole championship Fitzgibbon has to win.
Hayes performance in the final gives him a short head verdict over Fitzgibbon
@Tim Brennan: Over the full Championship, Fitzgibbon was much better.
@MK76: ok I’ll drop the distance to a nose- he’s good but u21 final was a let down and he should have been sent off – Hayes has the medal and to the victor the laurels
@Tim Brennan: U21 doesn’t count Tim.
Kyle Hayes, he drove Limerick to win an All Ireland, he was MOTM by a country mile. He will be a future cv and captain for Limerick. No disrespect but Coleman and Fitzgibbon were part of a Cork team that should never have lost the under 21 final, they were both poor and went missing in the game.
@Fergus McGrath: under 21 final does not have relevance to this.
@Fergus McGrath: I think they were too overconfident in the 21 final. They were totally out hurled by a quicker and better prepared Tipp team who admittedly underperformed in the 21 Munster final. Hayes all the way on this one.
Easily Fitzgibbon. Great hurler. Great year.
I’m biased too but Kyle Hayes’ display in the Final was special. When the Limerick scores were drying up he had a major say and he was still hurling fearlessly in those last eight minutes when the ’94 virus or tiredness was gripping many of the team. Such an athlete.
Love to see Hayes win but wouldn’t begrudge either him or Fitzgibbon winning it out, both had a tremendous year and did themselves and their county pround.
Kyle Hayes deserves it
I’m biased too but Hayes just ahead of Fitzgibbon , I think Coleman was well below the standard he set last year.
cmon Flembomb – no Darryl Murphy?
Cmon Flembomb – No Daryl Murphy?