Special Olympians get to meet President McAleese

Meath golfer, Laura Kelly, who took home a silver medal from the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, was among the 30 athletes who attended a special reception hosted by President Mary McAleese and Dr Martin McAleese last Thursday. President McAleese invited the athletes and their coaches to Áras an Uachtaráin to personally congratulate them on their wonderful achievements at the games in June and for representing the country so well on the international sporting stage. Laura, who is from Oldcastle, attends Midday Services in Navan and was one of six Meath athletes who represented Ireland in Athens. Some 126 athletes represented Ireland at the games. Addressing the assembled gathering of athletes and coaches, President McAleese said: "To get to the World Summer Games is itself a brilliant achievement and experience and I hope you all really enjoyed every minute of it, but, of course, it was no holiday and the months of training and preparation before hand took a lot of effort and organisation. "So well done to you and to all the people who keep Special Olympics going at home all year round so that people can know the fun and fulfilment of taking part in sports, making friends, winning and losing, getting fit, getting really good at your sport and getting so good that you are chosen to represent your country," she said. Matt English, CEO Special Olympics Ireland, said: "Being invited to Áras an Uachtaráin as guests of President McAleese is a great honour for our athletes and coaches. The group here today represents not only the 126 athletes who competed at the World Games but also the 11,000 athletes who participate in the Special Olympics programme of sports training and competition throughout the island of Ireland every week." Team Ireland, which comprised of 126 athletes and a management team of 49, had an outstanding performance at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, recording a number of personal best records and winning a total of 107 Medals (31 gold, 44 silver and 32 bronze) as well as dozens of place ribbons in 12 sports. Meath's athletes took home mighty haul of five medals. The county was represented by six athletes at the games and two official delegates alongside Kells woman Louise Tinne of Rehabcare, the medical co-ordinator for the Irish team with responsibility for ensuring the health and welfare of not only the 126 athletes prior to and during the games, but also the coaches and the management team. The Meath represenatives, Edward Kennedy, Julianstown (athletics); Liam Brady, Dunshaughlin; John Blake, Navan; Stephen Browne, Navan; Robert McDonald, Dunshaughlin, (all basketball), and Laura Kelly, Oldcastle (golf), did the county proud. The basketballers all picked up bronze medals in Athens and, despite an heroic effort, Edward Kennedy picked up an excellent fourth place in an extremely difficult field but managed to achieve two personal bests at the games.