| Ireland at the 2008 Summer Paralympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IPC code | IRL |
| NPC | Paralympics Ireland |
| Website | www |
| in Beijing | |
| Competitors | 45 in 9 sports |
| Flag bearer | Patrice Dockery |
| Medals Ranked 36th |
|
| Summer Paralympics appearances (overview) | |
Ireland competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. Ireland sent 45 athletes, competing in 9 sports. [1] The country's flagbearer at the Games' opening ceremony was Patrice Dockery. [2]
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
 Gold | Michael McKillop | Athletics | Men's 800 m T37 |
| Gold | Jason Smyth | Athletics | Men's 100 m T13 |
| Gold | Jason Smyth | Athletics | Men's 200 m T13 |
 Silver | Darragh McDonald | Swimming | Men's 400 m Freestyle S6 |
 Bronze | Gabriel Shelly | Boccia | Mixed Individual BC1 |
| Athlete | Event | Ranking round | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Finals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Seed | Opposition score | Opposition score | Opposition score | Opposition score | Opposition score | Rank | ||
| Sean Heary | Men's individual compound | 652 | 20 |  Arenz (GER)W 108-104 |  Go (KOR)W 113-112 |  Horner (SUI)L 99-113 | did not advance | ||
| Athlete | Class | Event | Heats | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | |||
| Roy Patrick Guerin | T53 | 100m | 16.59 | 12 | did not advance | |||
| Michael McKillop | T37 | 800m | — | 1:59.39 WR | | |||
| Jason Smyth | T13 | 100m | 10.81 WR | 1 Q | — | 10.62 WR | | |
| 200m | 21.81 WR | 1 Q | — | 21.43 WR | | |||
| Athlete | Class | Event | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Points | Rank | |||
| Eoin Thomas Cleare | F32 | Shot put | 6.11 | - | 7 |
| Garrett Culliton | F33-34/52 | Discus throw | 17.79 | 953 | 5 |
| John McCarthy | F32/51 | Club throw | 19.53 | 811 | 11 |
| Discus throw | 9.48 | 966 | 9 | ||
| Athlete | Class | Event | Heats | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||||
| Patrice Dockery | T53 | 100m | 18.90 | 10 | did not advance | ||
| 200m | 35.38 | 12 | did not advance | ||||
| 400m | 1:08.95 | 11 | did not advance | ||||
| Athlete | Class | Event | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Points | Rank | |||
| Orla Barry | F57-58 | Discus throw | 27.08 | 1027 | 5 |
| Catherine Wayland | F32-34/51-53 | Discus throw | 6.13 | 1010 | 6 |
| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Opposition Score | Rank | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank | ||
| Padraic Moran | Mixed individual BC1 |  Marques (POR) | L 2-4 | 1 Q |  Wang Y (CHN)L 5-6 | did not advance | ||
 Sanders (NZL) | W 7-3 | |||||||
 Smith (GBR) | W 9-0 | |||||||
 Aandalen (NOR) | W 4-2 | |||||||
| Gabriel Shelly | Park J S (KOR) | L 3-5 | 1 Q |  Vaquerizo (ESP)W 8-2 | Marques (POR) L 1-4 | Wang Y (CHN) W 6-2 | | |
 Richardson (CAN) | W 4-2 | |||||||
 Ibarbure (ARG) | W 3-2 | |||||||
 Kitani (JPN) | W 5-2 | |||||||
| Roberta Connolly | Mixed individual BC2 | Cortez (ARG) | L 1-4 | 3 | did not advance | |||
| Cao (CHN) | L 0-5 | |||||||
| Leglice (ARG) | W 4-3 | |||||||
| Tom Leahy | F Ferreira (POR) | W 5-2 | 4 | did not advance | ||||
| Bentley (GBR) | L 1-5 | |||||||
| Kainuma (JPN) | L 2-4 | |||||||
| Roberta Connolly Tom Leahy Padraic Moran Gabriel Shelly | Mixed team BC1-2 | Spain (ESP) | L 1-12 | 2 Q | China (CHN) L 2-12 | did not advance | ||
 Finland (FIN) | W 7-3 | |||||||
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathal Gustavus Miller | Men's road race LC1/LC2/CP4 | DNF | |
| Men's road time trial LC1 | 36:33.95 | 9 | |
| Enda Smyth | Men's road race LC1/LC2/CP4 | DNF | |
| Michael Delaney David Patrick Peelo (pilot) | Men's road race B&VI 1-3 | 2:29:32 | 16 |
| Men's road time trial B&VI 1-3 | 36:26.54 | 18 | |
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | 1st round | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Opposition Time | Rank | ||
| Cathal Gustavus Miller | Men's individual pursuit LC1 | 4:53.97 | 5 | did not advance | |||
| Men's time trial LC1 | — | 1:11.82 | 7 | ||||
| Enda Smyth | Men's individual pursuit CP4 | 3:55.919 | 7 | did not advance | |||
| Men's time trial CP4 | — | 1:16.07 | 7 | ||||
| Michael Delaney David Patrick Peelo | Men's individual pursuit B&VI 1-3 | 4:49.911 | 13 | did not advance | |||
| Men's sprint | 11.460 | 6 |  Kilpatrick (RSA) / Thomson (RSA) | L 0-2 | 5-8th place matches Cowie (CAN) / Smibert (CAN) W 12.145 | 5 | |
| Men's time trial B&VI 1-3 | — | 1:08.593 | 10 | ||||
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Mary Walsh Joanna Hickey | Women's road race B&VI 1-3 | 2:03:14 | 9 |
| Women's road time trial B&VI 1-3 | 40:09.67 | 7 |
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Opposition Time | Rank | ||
| Catherine Mary Walsh Joanna Hickey (pilot) | Women's individual pursuit B&VI 1-3 | 3:50.515 | 5 | did not advance | |
| Women's time trial B&VI 1-3 | — | 1:16.208 | 7 | ||
| Athlete | Horse | Event | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Rank | |||
| Eilish Byrne | Youri | Mixed individual championship test grade II | 62.818 | 11 |
| Mixed individual freestyle test grade II | 65.833 | 8 | ||
The men's football 7-a-side team didn't win any medals; they were 6th out of 8 teams.
Ireland  | 2 - 4 |  Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
Five Irish athletes competed in the following events in sailing: [3]
Ireland sent six representatives in swimming, including Dave Malone, Ellen Keane and Darragh McDonald.
| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank | ||
| Eimear Breathnach | Women's singles C1-2 |  Pezzutto (ITA)L 1–3 |  Pushpasheva (RUS)L 1–3 | — | 3 | did not advance | |||
| Kathleen Reynolds | Women's singles C3 | Li Q (CHN) L 1-3 | Choi H J (KOR) L 1-3 |  Y Silva (CUB)L 2-3 | 3 | did not advance | |||
| Eimear Breathnach Kathleen Reynolds | Women's team C1-3 | — |  France (FRA)L 1-3 | did not advance | |||||
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the 13th Summer Paralympic Games, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao. It was first time the new Paralympic logo featured in the Summer Paralympics since its rebranding after the 2004 Summer Paralympics.
The Netherlands competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. This was announced in an official statement on the NOC*NSF website. In the statement they named the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games as a highlight in sports to which a lot of sportspeople, coaches and the Dutch sports fans would look forward. The Netherlands aimed for a top 10 nations ranking in the Olympics as well as a top 25 ranking in the Paralympics; they ended up ranking 12th at the Games.
China was the host of the 2008 Summer Paralympics, held in Beijing. China's delegation included 547 people, of whom 332 were competitors. The athletes, 197 men and 135 women, ranged in age from 15 to 51 and competed in all twenty sports. 226 of the competitors participated in the Paralympic Games for the first time. The delegation was the largest in Chinese history and at the 2008 Games. China topped the medal count at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens. China dominated the medal count winning the most gold, silver, bronze, and total medals by a wide margin in Beijing.
Great Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Great Britain sent a delegation of around 400, of which 212 were athletes, to compete in eighteen sports at the Games. The team was made up of athletes from the whole United Kingdom; athletes from Northern Ireland, who may elect to hold Irish citizenship under the pre-1999 article 2 of the Irish constitution, are able to be selected to represent either Great Britain or Ireland at the Paralympics. Additionally some British overseas territories compete separately from Britain in Paralympic competition.
5-a-side football at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held at the Olympic Green Hockey Field from September 7 and September 17. One event was contested, a men's team competition.
7-a-side football at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held at the Olympic Green Hockey Field from September 8 to September 16. One event was contested, a men's team competition.
Eighty athletes representing 25 countries in three keelboat classes - the 2.4mR, the SKUD 18, and the Sonar, took part in sailing in the 2008 Summer Paralympics. Sailing was held in two designated areas on the Yellow Sea, Qingdao, Shandong province, from September 8 to September 13.
The Netherlands competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.
Hungary competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.
Puerto Rico competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The delegation consisted of three competitors, one track and field athlete, one sailor, and one sport shooter.
Spain sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The country's delegation consisted of 232 people, including 133 athletes competing in 15 sports. Attending the opening ceremony on September 6 was Infanta Elena, President of the Spanish Paralympic Committee Miguel Carballeda, Minister Mercedes Cabrera, and several representatives from the Madrid Olympic Games Bidding Committee.
Three athletes represented the Philippines in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. The 2-person keelboat sailing team of Pedro Sollique and Cherry Pinpin were based in the seaport city of Qingdao while Adeline Dumapong was in Beijing for the powerlifting event. The Philippine Paralympic delegation was headed by PhilSPADA-NPC, with support from the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Singapore sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, represented by six athletes competing in four sports: swimming, sailing, equestrian and athletics. The country's flagbearer at the Games' opening ceremony was supposed to be Desiree Lim, a sailor. However, as the sailing events were held in Qingdao, it was Theresa Goh (swimming) who was the flagbearer on that day. The 2008 Summer Paralympics marked the first time Singapore had won a Paralympic medal of any kind.
Brazil sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China The country debuted in the Games in 1972 and 2008 was its 10th participation.
Argentina sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The country's flagbearer at the Games' opening ceremony was football player Silvio Velo.
Ukraine sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.
Russia sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China that won a total of 63 medals: 18 gold, 23 silver and 22 bronze.
A team representing Ireland has competed at every Summer Paralympic Games but the country has never taken part in the Winter Paralympics. Irish athletes have won 178 Summer Paralympic medals, 47 gold, 57 silver and 74 bronze. Paralympics Ireland is the National Paralympic Committee. Athletes from Northern Ireland may compete for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Paralympics, on the same basis as at the Olympics.
The Philippines made its Paralympic Games debut at the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul and has been fielding athletes up to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. Its athletes has won two bronze medals; Adeline Dumapong in powerlifting (2000), and Josephine Medina in table tennis (2016). The country has never won a Paralympic gold medal.
John Twomey is an Irish Paralympic athlete and sailor. He has represented Ireland at 11 consecutive Paralympic games winning medals at three of them.
