Two-time European champion off to Trisome Games in Turkey
Class Meath runner Liam Foley ranked third and seventh in the World in different categories
TESSA VAN HEERDEN
Liam Foley, from the Hill of Down, is training at his local club Trim AC in preparation for his participation in the Trisome Games 2024 to be hosted in Antalya, Turkey at the end of March.
These Games were initially planned for March 2020 but got cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Now, the Turkish Special Athletes Sports Federation, TOSSFED, is looking forward receiving 32 nations in eight sports for the week of 19th to the 26th March.
The Trisome Games 2024 is a multi-sport World championships event for athletes with Down Syndrome.
Liam, a middle-distance athlete, is currently ranked third in the World in the 800m men’s T21. He is also ranked seventh in the 1500m Men’s T21 category.
This is an astonishing achievement for any Irish athlete but more so for Liam achieving it during his first international participation.
2023 was an exciting and eventful year for Liam who has been a member of Trim AC since 2018. Early in the year Liam qualified for the SUDS European Championship in 100m. The event was hosted at Glenmore AC’s in collaboration with Down Syndrome Ireland’s Louth Meath branch.
As a seasoned road runner, Liam had to adapt to the track over the summer, where he had no lack of support from his coaches and fellow athletes.
During September, Liam travelled as part of a multi-sport Irish team to Padua, Italy for the European Championships. He was to compete in 100m, Triathlon, 800m and 1500m.
Triathlon consisting of 100m, long jump and shot putt.
Competing in the 1500m men's T21 was a first for Liam, who had the more experienced athletes from Italy, Poland, Portugal and Turkey to face.
After the bell rang for the final lap was where the magic happened. Liam was in third position making his way to pass the Polish athlete, Kamil Grabowski on the first bend. Running in first place was Simone Nieddu from Italy, almost 100m ahead of Liam.
But Liam kept his calm, pushing on, shrinking the gap. On the straight with both athletes making their final attempt, Liam surprised some with a very powerful run passing Simone on the line for the win in a time of 6:32.98.
The Irish supporters were ecstatic, and Liam, delighted. Hearing the Irish anthem played for the first time ever at SUDS athletics event was a proud moment for all.
With the experience of the 1500m behind him, Liam went on and won the 800m and setting a new European record of 2:55.63. A first for Ireland and an exceptional achievement by a very talented athlete.
“Liam surprised us in Italy with wins in his first ever track races. He has been very committed to his preparations for the Trisome Games and we look forward to cheering him on again in Turkey,” Geraldine and Kevin, parents of Liam said.
The Trisome Games 2024, is next in his sight and he has been training under the watchful eyes of his coaches John Rowe and Trish Duffy. The event being a World Championship, Liam will be facing athletes from Mexico and Brazil additional to European athletes.
Liam will be competing in 400m, 1500m and 800m, on the 24th and 25th March in Antalya at the Zeytinköy Sports track. He will be accompanied by his parents Kevin Foley, Geraldine Regan and his brother Conor.
Liam is well prepared: “I am a very fit person who is also a very strong powerful athlete who is going to win,” he added with confidence.
Disability sport development in Ireland has come a long way, especially in sport for athletes with an intellectual disability.
By participating in the Trisome games 2024, Liam will once again shine the light on high performing athletes with Down Syndrome and the necessity of pathways locally. We are immensely proud of his dedication to his training and are looking forward supporting Liam in Turkey for this event. We wish Liam all the best.
DID YOU KNOW?
Down Syndrome Ireland’s Louth/Meath branch has produced a huge amount of sporting talent the past few years.
The branch, whose motto is ‘Families supporting Families’ has created the platform to ensure their members if selected/qualified could avail of any sporting opportunity coming their way.
Having foresight, bravery and vision makes this branch leaders in the development of sport for athletes with Down syndrome, in Ireland. The Louth/Meath branch engaged with national organisations and other DSI branches nationwide to extend these opportunities to other members with Down syndrome too.
Sport development in the branch came through the establishment of the Warrior Wolves Sports team in 2021. From there, events and training followed. 2023 saw the prospects of international participation and the members, branch and parents grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
With the support of Athletics Ireland and Glenmore AC in Co. Louth, the Warrior Wolves hosted 2 successful Athletics Come & Try days, resulting in Liam being identified as an athlete with talent and prospects for international participation.
Ireland’s athletes with Down syndrome have participated internationally in SUDS events:
· European Championships 2021, Ferrara, Italy,
· World Championships 2022, Nymburk, Czech Republic
· European Championships 2023, Padua, Italy
SUDS - Sports Union for Athletes with Down Syndrome
Often, athletes with Down Syndrome compete and train within mixed disability teams or with other athletes with an intellectual disability. Because athletes with Down syndrome have additional functional disabilities, they are not competing on a level playing field with athletes with an intellectual disability. This is very obvious in team
sports. The additional functional disabilities include, shorter stature, shorter limbs, hypotonia (low muscle tone) and smaller hands.
As a result, the SUDS events give these athletes an opportunity to participate with and compete against their peers with Down Syndrome on a level playing field.
SUDS event cycle is similar to the Paralympic cycle with European Championships every second year, a World Championships in-between and a Trisome Games in the 4th year.
SUDS currently has 10 International Down Syndrome Sporting Federations governing the following sports:
· Athletics – IAADS
· Basketball – IBA21
· Futsal – FIFDS
· Gymnastics – DSIGO
· Handball – HANDDOWN
· Judo – JUDOWN
· Swimming & Artistic swimming – DSISO
· Table Tennis – ITTADS
· Tennis – TENNISDOWN
· Ski – SKIDS
Trisome Games 2024
TOSSFED President, Birol Aydin has the following to say in his invitation to participating countries:
“You, our athletes with down syndrome are a source of our pride. As the TOSSFED (Turkish Special Athletes Sports Federation) family, we are always standing near our athletes and will be their supporters. In, Turkey, we are used to working for our down syndrome athletes.
"Our goal and vision is to over come barriers, to work harder, to reach much more of our children with down syndrome in society and compete them in sports. Our aim is to ensure our down syndrome athletes can take part in all sporting events with comfort and happily.
"At this point, the contribution of our down syndrome athletes to employment is also very valuable for us. Their stability, their perseverance, their determination to struggle with problems and their perspectives on life lead us to work harder for them.
"We know that if you are an athlete with down syndrome, you are strong and society has a lot of things to inspire from you. We want more people to benefit from this moral wealth. Let us over come barriers together in the journey to bring the World to more prosperous tomorrows.
"Dear Turkish athletes with down syndrome and all participant down syndrome athletes from all other countries, all the resources of our country are at your service. We are very pleased to be part of this great organisation and hosting you.
"On this occasion, I wish for an unforgettable sporting event where you will gain beautiful memories for all of the coaches, managers and the down syndrome athletes who are competing in the games. We are proud of our down syndrome athletes and welcome you all.”