Ten inspirational young sports persons from the Athlone environs who all have excelled in their chosen field were introduced to the public at an Ambassador launch night held in Athlone Regional Sports Centre.
The promotional aim of the Ambassador programme is to encourage members of the local community to participate in physical activity and exercise.
Displaying their sporting prowess on both a national and international scale, the ten Ambassadors are Irish rugby internationals Robbie Henshaw and Jack Carty, professional footballer, Robbie Benson, international powerlifter, Teanna Watts, international swimmer, Robbie Powell, Special Olympian, Shauna Stewart, member Ambassador, Richie O’Brien, Westmeath senior footballer, Aoife Connolly, Connaught hockey player, Liberty McGovern and International rower, Patrick Munnelly.
Will O Callaghan from Newstalk’s ‘Off the Ball’ hosted the evening where a large crowd, including children from local sports clubs, turned out in the centre’s main fitness studio to meet the new Ambassadors and to find out more about their achievements, as well as availing of some training tips and advice.
Manager of Athlone Regional Sports Centre Liam Cunningham expressed his hope that the Ambassadors would inspire people from Athlone and its environs to participate in more physical activity.
“These inspiring young sports persons are doing themselves, their teams, their families, and their community proud and we hope as Ambassadors of Athlone RSC they will inspire our wider community to believe that anything is achievable and that participation in sport exercising in any form is beneficial and rewarding.
“Athlone RSC feels very fortunate to offer a greatly improved facility with top-class equipment and an entertaining exercise environment for the wider community and we are committed to breaking down all barriers to exercise. No matter what age, shape, or ability, we want to encourage people to get active and take advantage of their Regional Sports Centre,” the Centre Manager commented.
The perennially popular Athlone RSC is due to be further enhanced with the development of an outdoor fitness park and the replacement of the existing astro turf surface.
To include jogging trails, a link to the greenway, an obstacle course, functional training space and a children’s area, the outdoor fitness area will complement the existing internal fitness suite, while a resurfaced astro turf facility is certain to attract local sports clubs to the facility on an ongoing basis.
