26 medals for Cork transplant athletes at European championships

The Irish Transplant team has returned home from the European Transplant Sports Championships held in Portugal with a staggering 65 medals.

The team is made up of 25 Irish transplant athletes including eight representing Cork, namely: Mike Keohane (liver recipient); Mick O’Shea (heart recipient); Mairéad O’Mahony (bone marrow recipient); and Amanda O’Neill Coyne, Michael Kiely, Pat O’Sullivan, and Hugh Nolan (kidney recipients).

Rob Merrigan (living donor kidney recipient) represented Cork and Limerick.

The Irish group secured 28 gold, 21 silver, and seven bronze medals after competing in a number of disciplines including golf, swimming, cycling, tennis, darts, petanque, table tennis, badminton, ten pin bowling, and athletics. The Cork group alone scooped 26 medals at he championships.

Mairéad O’Mahony from Berrings secured five gold medals overall.

After taking gold in the javelin, gold in the shot put, and gold in the 1500m within three hours, Mairéad described the whole experience as “mind-blowing” and recalled her transplant journey 27 years ago as a young teenager diagnosed with leukaemia. Mairéad also secured a gold medal in the 800m and in her category in the 5km mini-marathon.

Mick O’Shea from Mallow scooped six medals including gold in the 200m and in the 100m with a personal-best time. He took two silvers for cycling events, saying afterwards: “Organ donation was the real winner today”. Mr O’Shea also took home a silver medal in the 1500m, and this, along with his cycling success, combined to get him silver in the virtual duathlon.

Amanda O’Neill Coyne from Youghal, Mike Keohane from West Cork, Hugh Nolan from Doneraile, Pat O’Sullivan from Mallow, Mike Kiely from Mitchelstown, and Robert Merrigan also brought home silverware.

While the championships may have drawn to a close, athletes are now turning their attention to the British Transplant Games next weekend, while transplant footballers are also preparing for the inaugural Transplant World Cup in Italy in September.