Ireland enjoyed a day to remember at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi on Sunday, with Orla Comerford and Greta Streimikyte both storming to gold medals on the track.
Streimikyte, competing in the T13 1500m, set the tone. Always a figure of determination and quiet resilience, the Clonliffe Harriers runner seized control of her race early and never let it go, powering home in 4:39.62, more than eleven seconds clear of her nearest rival.
For an athlete who has consistently pushed the boundaries at Paralympic and World level, this was her first global championship gold, a moment that brought unrestrained joy and a deep sense of achievement.
Comerford then lit up the evening session with a brilliant run in the T13 100m final.
The Raheny Shamrock sprinter burst from the blocks and never looked back, stopping the clock at 11.88 seconds, a new championship record.
For Comerford, whose bronze medal in Paris last summer signalled her emergence among the very best, this gold was confirmation that she belongs at the top of the world stage.
“It feels amazing,” she said afterwards, the smile refusing to leave her face. “I knew I had to keep my head down and work hard, and I’m just delighted it all came together.”
Winning two gold medals on the same day is a rare and special achievement for Irish sport, and it speaks volumes about the talent and tenacity of this latest generation of para-athletes.
It also underlines the importance of the high-performance structures that support them — from Athletics Ireland and Paralympics Ireland to Sport Ireland and the clubs that nurture their journeys.
A winning day in every way.
Image Credit: Sport for Business
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
Read our Sport for Business Coverage on Paralympic Sport
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