Cork sporting heroes return from World Transplant Games

CORK was well represented in the final medals tally as part of the Ireland team at the World Transplant Games which took place from April 15-21 in Perth, Australia.

Cork’s four Transplant Games athletes were Michael Kiely, of Ballylanders, Mitchelstown, on the Limerick border, the recipient of a kidney from a living donor, Pat O’Sullivan of Mallow (kidney), Hugh Nolan of Doneraile (kidney), and Mairead O’Mahony of Berrings, who received a bone marrow transplant.

The World Transplant Games kicked off to a great start for the Irish when Mairead won her first of five medals, a silver, in the first games event, the 5km race.

No one could have imagined that the 44-year-old newcomer to the team would prove to be a force to be reckoned with in all her athletics events.

As the weeklong games progressed Mairead went on to win a further two Gold medals in the 800m race, and Shot Put along with her second Silver in in the Javelin event and a Bronze in the 1500m race. The bone marrow transplant recipient credited her donor brother for making it all possible.

The Irish golfers proved their reputation for being tough competition from previous world and European transplant sport events.

Playing off scratch was Hugh Nolan (47), who won two gold medals for Golf singles and Golf pairs with his fellow Corkman Pat O’Sullivan from Mallow, who is also a kidney transplant recipient and received a Gold medal as part of the successful duo.

Pat was delighted to catch up with his son, also called Pat, who is living in Australia and both father and son were together for the duration of the games.

Mike Kiely from Mitchelstown just missed out on a Bronze medal in the golf pairs event with teammate Nick Heather.

In total, 14 inspirational members of Transplant Team Ireland are returning home not only with an impressive haul of medals but the indelible treasured memory of being part of such a life affirming event.

The team left Perth with an impressive haul of 17 medals including seven Golds, six Silvers and four Bronzes, together with two world transplant games time records broken.

Some of the Irish team returned home on Sunday, April 23, to Dublin airport’s Terminal One, at about 1.40pm, to be greeted with an expected rousing homecoming welcome from family, friends, and supporters, and other members of Transplant Team Ireland who weren’t on this year’s panel.

Other members of the current team panel are spending extended time in the Southern Hemisphere’s warm climate.

Full details can be found at www.transplantteamireland.ie and www.worldtransplantgames.org