A Kilkenny Paralympic athlete has been named on the nine-person Irish team for the 2011 IPC World Athletics Championships, due to be held in Christchurch, New Zealand next January.
Ray O’Dwyer from Hugginstown, Co Kilkenny, has been named as one of nine athletes from across a range of disability groups for an event that is being seen as a key step on the Irish team’s road to London 2012.
“The team has a blend of experience and new blood and this will be a great experience for the new athletes,” said Liam Harbison, CEO of the Parlaympic Council of Ireland.
Mr O’Dwyer will be competing in the javelin and shot put in the F34 class for an Irish team that includes Beijing 2008 Paralympic gold medallists Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop and will be led by team manager James Nolan.
“I have been working with the athletes since my appointment as head of Paralympic Athletics last April and it goes without saying that the championships will be a tough event for our athletes. They are training and preparing well and I am confident they will perform to their abilities come January 21,” Mr Nolan said.
