LAHINCH’S Marie O’Connor has been named Best Athlete at the 11th European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Oxford having won a staggering four medals.
Marie began the week by securing gold in the Golf Doubles with partner Mick Dwyer from Cabinteely.
Speaking after the win she said, “It was fantastic, we didn’t think we’d win gold, but we did. I know Mick and myself will say the same thing; our GOLD, we had it, (pointing to her kidney transplant) ever before we picked up a club, and God rest them that they give us the chance to do this. To win a gold medal and to be able to show we are able to say thank you.”
Marie went on to thank her donor and all Team Ireland donors.
She followed this the following day with yet another gold in the Singles Golf event and won her third gold on Wednesday in the Petanque held at the splendid Blenheim Palace.
As if this wasn’t enough, Marie then won a silver medal in the 100 metres and also participated in the Ball Throw.
It wasn’t surprising that she became the obvious choice to be chosen as Best Female Athlete of the Games and considering there was over 1000 athletes from 26 countries this is some remarkable achievement indeed.
Marie received her kidney in 1998 and it was her second transplant. Since then she has medalled at several games in countries such as Slovenia, Thailand, Canada and Poland.
The Irish Team in this year’s European Transplant and Dialysis Games, which took place from Sunday August 21 to 28, was made up of 14 athletes from Dublin, Kildare, Cork, Tipperary, Galway, Limerick, Clare and Roscommon.
Overall they won an amazing 34 medals (10 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze) and Team Ireland came sixth in the overall medals table.
The team took part in the week-long multi-sports competition amongst heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas and bone marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from over 25 countries.
The Irish team was made up of 11 men and three women consist of nine kidney recipients, two liver recipients, one double lung recipient and one on currently dialysis. Team Captain Harry Ward from Baldoyle himself won two bronze medals.