Four Roscommon swimmers competing at Special Olympics European Open in Malta
The Roscommon Special Olympics team of Anne Marie Donnelly, Brían Óg McGarvey, Shaun Mullen and Sorcha Hegarty that will compete at the European Swimming Open in Malta. Also pictured are coach Marie Keane and Head of Irish delegation, Bob McCormack.
Four swimmers from the Roscommon Special Olympics Club will be hoping to make a splash at the Special Olympics European Swimming Open in Malta.
Anne Marie Donnelly (Roscommon Town), Brían Óg McGarvey (Four Roads), Shaun Mullen (Fuerty) and Sorcha Hegarty (Roscommon Town) will proudly represent Roscommon, Connacht and Ireland in multiple finals across this weekend.
The competition starts today (Thursday) and will run until Sunday, with 400 athletes from 37 nations competing.
Focus for the Roscommon swimmers will be on the mixed-medley and mixed-relay events.
Chairperson of the Roscommon Special Olympics Club Jacqui McCormack told the that the excitement was at fever pitch as the athletes touched down in Malta this Thursday morning.
“We’ve never been at any competition that wasn’t the World Games outside of Ireland – so this is a huge thing. The fact we had to qualify, we’re the only team in Ireland going and that it’s in Malta, we’re absolutely delighted,” explained Ms McCormack.
The team will be joined by long-time coach Marie Keane, who has dedicated many years to the club, along with head of the Irish delegation Jacqui’s husband Bob.
Each swimmer will have family supporting them in Malta, and that family support has been a key contributor to the club’s success, according to Ms McCormack.
“I know from talking to other clubs how lucky we are to have the parental and family involvement and support to our club, there’s never any problems,” she said.
Support for Anne Marie, Brían Óg, Shaun and Sorcha has also been coming from other athletes as well from people back at home in Roscommon.
Since it was established over two decades ago, the opportunity to compete in international events serves to show the growth of the county’s Special Olympics club.
Swimming was the club’s foundational sport, but now athletes can choose from bowling, soccer, bocce and golf to name just a few activities.
“It's a great club to be part of. I know the members of the club with special needs, they just love it - it's their outlet,” outlined Ms McCormack.
“It's where they feel belonging, and where they feel belonged, where they feel listened to, where they have their friends, where they socialise, where they do their giving out, and they know it’s a safe space for them.”
It will be a busy few weeks for the athletes at Roscommon Special Olympics, where the club will be looking for their sixth victory in a row at this year’s annual football match against a selection from the Roscommon Garda Station .
