15 Irish athletes have qualified to travel to Padua, Italy, this weekend to participate in the Sport Union for Athletes with Down Syndrome (SUDS) European Championships, including Ireland’s first national Down Syndrome Futsal team.
The athletes will compete in a range of sports including Athletics, Artistic Swimming and Futsal.
The multi-sport championship in Italy will take place from 3rd to 10th of September with athletes from 22 countries competing. The event will offer those with Down Syndrome a unique opportunity to participate against their peers.
Futsal is a form of five-a-side indoor football played with a smaller, heavier ball than soccer and is an ideal sport for Ireland as it is played from October to March.
The Ireland Down Syndrome Futsal team of eight players were selected from a player pool of 80 through talent days held all over Ireland.
This will be the first time that Ireland will have a Futsal team participating. The Louth Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland and the FAI’s Football for All programme have been working to develop the Futsal team among players with Down Syndrome, coached by Paul Smyth.
Three athletes have qualified to participate in the athletics competition in Italy and will take part in the 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m and triathlon races. Fergal Cosgrove is competing for a second time, Liam Foley and Elisha Gallagher for a first.
Four swimmers have been selected for their first-time participation in the combined artistic swimming event, formerly known as synchronised swimming. They have been training for two years to perfect their skills for the European Championships.
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 other athletes with an intellectual disability.
The additional functional disabilities include, shorter stature, shorter limbs, hypotonia (low muscle tone) and smaller hands.
As a result, the SUDS European Championships give these athletes an opportunity to participate with and against their peers with Down Syndrome on a level playing field.
The team were presented with their kit and travel packs by team supporter DHL during the week.
“Disability sport development in Ireland has come a long way, especially in intellectual disability sport,” said Tessa van Heerden, Sport Coordinator at Down Syndrome Ireland Louth and Meath branch.
“By participating in SUDS European Championships, we are shining a light on the high functioning athletes with Down Syndrome and setting up pathways for the participation in further events.”
“We are proud of our 15 athletes for their training and progress so far and are delighted to be heading to Italy for this event.”
