Joining Natalya at the launch of the Special Olympics Women's Mini Marathon Team was Louise Burke, an athlete with Navan Special Olympics Club.

Coyle supports Special Olympics marathon runners

Olympics star, Natalya Coyle, has thrown her support behind Special Olympics Ireland ahead of this summer’s Flora Women’s Mini Marathon.

Coyle, from Skryne, who competed in the modern pentathlon at the London 2012 Olympics, is calling on women to sign up and run the mini-marathon in aid of the sport’s charity who support people with an intellectual disability.

23-year-old Coyle said she was delighted to be the face of Special Olympics Mini Marathon campaign and said members of the public who register to run for the charity will see their money go to good use when the sport’s charity hold their Ireland Games in Limerick this June. 1,500 athletes from all over Ireland will attend the Games in what is one of the biggest sporting events to take place in Ireland this summer.

 “I’m delighted to help launch the Special Olympics Women’s Mini Marathon Team, and hope that ladies will sign up to participate and raise funds for this wonderful organisation. I’m aware of the training and preparation that Special Olympics athletes are putting in at their local clubs on a weekly basis to compete in the Ireland Games. And I know the commitment and dedication needed to compete at national level as well as on the world stage. I’d like to wish all the Special Olympics athletes competing in the Ireland Games in June the very best of luck with their training and at the Games themselves.”

Joining Natalya at the launch of the Special Olympics Women’s Mini Marathon Team was Louise Burke, an athlete with Navan Special Olympics Club. Louise will compete at the Special Olympics Ireland Games which are taking place in Limerick June 12th to June 15th.

Special Olympics are aiming recruit a team of 500 women to walk, jog or run the 10k to raise awareness and funds to support their athletes. The Special Olympics Ireland Games, which is the largest national event on the Special Olympics calendar, will be held this June in Limerick and will see athletes competing in 13 different sports, with the ultimate aim of representing Ireland in the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2015.

Marianne Rowan, Regional Fundraising Coordinator for Special Olympics said: “The Flora Women’s Mini Marathon is a fantastic event which benefits so many great charities. Last year over 200 women joined the Special Olympics Women’s Mini Marathon Team and this year we hope to increase that figure. If you would like to join the Special Olympics Team you can register online at www.specialolympics.ie or call 01 891 2000.”