Cork athletes head for the Paralympics World Championships in Lyon, France...

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships will be held in Lyon in the south-east of France between the 19th and 28th of July. Three athletes from Cork will be on the Irish team of eight for the athletics events.

Amanda Crotty, Orla Barry and John McCarthy...the Cork athletes heading for the IPC World Championships

AMANDA CROTTY
Event...1500m    PB...5:15.00    Class...T12
In August 2011, Amanda ran a Paralympic “A” standard for 1500m at the National Championships with her guide runner James Cosgrave. Having narrowly missed out on selection for London 2012, July’s IPC World Athletics Championships in Lyon will be Amanda’s first major championship. Her guide on this occasion will be Kevin Nolan from Athlone. Amanda will be hoping to continue her impressive form as she builds towards the ultimate goal of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

ORLA BARRY
Event...Discus    PB...30.48m    Class...F57
Orla is a full-time athlete and broke onto the international scene aged just sixteen in 2006, earning a creditable fifth in her F57 discus final at Beijing 2008. She went two places higher when claiming a superb bronze in the same event at London 2012. Finishing just outside the medals at 2011′s IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand, Orla will be aiming for podium glory at this year’s championships in Lyon. With a world-best throw in Lyon’s test event in May, her form shows she is capable of further medal success.

JOHN MCCARTHY
Event...100m   PB...24.81   Class...T51 / Event...Club   PB...22.95m   Class...F51
John McCarthy took up Paralympic athletics in 1995 and represented Ireland at Athens 2004 (winning discus silver) and Beijing 2008. John competed creditably at London 2012, reaching the final of 100m wheelchair sprint. Outside of the Paralympic Games, John has competed in numerous international competitions with bronze in the club in 2006’s World Athletics Championships in Holland a particular highlight. He has also played wheelchair rugby to a high-level, representing Ireland at European Championship level.

The remaining five Irish athletes are...
Jason Smyth (Co Derry) – T13 100m & 200m
Michael McKillop (Co Antrim) – T37 800m &1500m
Catherine O’Neill (Co Wexford) – F51 Discus & Club Throw
Heather Jameson (Co Dublin) – T37 100m, 200m & Long Jump
Deirdre Mongan (Co Galway) – F52/53 Shot Put

Paralympic athlete in Cork looking for guide runners...

Immediately after hosting the Olympic games this summer, London will then host the Paralympics.  One of Cork's big hopes in the Paralympics is Youghal native Amanda Crotty who will compete in the 1500M.  Amanda is presently the only visually impared Irish female runner to have made the "A" standard for the London games having run 5:17 at the national track and field championships in Santry during the summer.  This was a PB by 16 seconds and a full 3 seconds inside the "A" standard for the London games!  This was followed by a 5:15 two weeks later in the Czech Republic which moved her to number 8 in the world rankings for visually impared 1500 runners.

Since then Amanda has been training hard 6 days a week and is expecting to drop her PB far enough this year to get onto that Podium in London!  At the moment, Amanda does most of her long runs at the Farm in Bishopstown or in Youghal while her speed sessions and tempo runs are mostly done on the old railway line, just off the Marina in Cork city.  She will move back to the track at CIT in March for 3-4 sessions per week.

But your help is needed!  Due to the nature of Amanda's visual imparement she can only train with a guide runner.  Amanda and the guide are attached by a hand held bind and the guide typically gives Amanda instructions and information regarding the terrain ahead e.g. sharp left, right, kerb or DOG!!  Amanda's team presently has 4 guide runners who do the various sessions with her but due to the big year ahead more guide runners are urgently needed.  At the moment Amanda does most of her fast sessions with Cork runner Jim Cosgrave who many of you will know from the road running circuit.  Jim will be on hand to explain the basics of guide running to any new recruits and the aim is to get 8-10 people involved with Team Amanda so that over the next few months she can get all of her high intensity and easier recovery sessions in without being overly reliant on a small group of volunteers. 

So who can help?  Any help at all is appreciated.  Amanda needs 2 runners for faster track sessions at CIT (should be able to do 800m comfortably at 2:50 pace).  2 runners are needed for longer runs which will be 7:30-8:30/mile pace.  These can be done at the Farm in Bishopstown or if the guide is from East Cork direction these could be done in Youghal or Dungarvan.  Two guides are also required for shorter recovery runs (45 mins at 8:00/mile pace).

As the sessions vary in intensity and distance most club runners could help out in some small way, even if that was just 1 session per month it would make a big difference.  This is a great chance for one athlete but equally a great opportunity for the running community at large get involved and show support......all you have to do is run!!

If you would like get involved in Team Amanda you can contact Jim Cosgrave by email cosgravejames@hotmail.com or mobile 086 6012551

Paralymic Athlete in Cork looking for a guide runner...

I got the following info from Amanda Crotty in Youghal who is hoping to qualify for the top standard in the 1500m in the 2012 Paralymic Games in London. She is able to train in East Cork and in the City so see if you can help out..........
James Nolan, Head of Paralympic Athletics Ireland..."We currently have a very talented female 1500m runner from Youghal, Co. Cork, Amanda Crotty. Amanda currently has the B standard for the Paralympic Games, London 2012 and is focused on securing the A standard for Qualification.
• 1500m A standard: 5.20 • Amandas time: 5.39 • 1500m B standard: 5.50


Amanda is visually impaired and runs with a guide, unfortunately her guide had to leave the country at short notice and this leaves Amanda in a tricky situation.


My request is for 1 or 2 runners in the Cork area to make themselves s available for:...If we secure 2 guide runners just: 1 hour per week, If we secure 1 guide runner just: 2 hours per week.

Amanda can do the easy jogging on her own but needs to do 2 faster interval or tempo sessions per week with a guide until September 1st 2011. This will make all the difference to Amanda’s preparations and more than likely lead to her achieving her goal of competing at the Paralympic Games.


So male or female runners who have run any of the following: 1500m under 5min, 1 mile under 5.30 or 5k under 20min and live in the Cork area please support Amanda and the Paralympics Ireland Team on the road to London 2012.

If you feel you can help please contact: James Nolan (086 8153343) james@paralympics.ie

Training Partner Needed for Visually Impaired Runner...

I got a mail recently requesting that I put this up on the blog.

"Amanda Crotty is a visually impaired paralympic athlete. She is looking for training partners to assist her in her preparations for the 2012 London Olympics. She is from Youghal and would appreciate any offers from athletes (male or female) that could accompany her on her training runs. "

All that is required is that someone can run alongside Amanda and is attached by a short lenght of string. I think some of the training longs may be medium runs on the road so it may not be necessarily all track work.

If you think you can help out then you should contact Amanda directly below

Her email is amandacrotty1AThotmail.co.uk (Just replace the AT with @)

There is a piece on Amanda on the Cork Independent website HERE