Cork athletes help Team Ireland win 19 medals at Transplant Games
Following a very successful championship, Team Ireland won an overall haul of 19 medals - 8 gold, 2 silver and 9 bronze medals.
Cork athletes Mike Keohane, Chris Walsh and Val Weblin won four of Ireland's medal haul.
Mike Keohane from Rosscarbery won gold in the 5k race walk and also took bronze in both the shot put and discus.
In their first British Games, Chris Walsh from Drinagh and Val Weblin originally from Leap but now living in Drimoleague both took part in the darts competition.
Chris also competed in ten pin bowling and Val in snooker, football and table tennis. Val won bronze in the darts after defeating some very tough competition.
Other gold medalists included Trevor Lynch from Limerick, in the 800m and 1500 metres, Glenn Clinton from Dublin in ten pin bowling, JP O'Neill from Kilkenny in squash, and Ivan Kinahan from Dublin in the living donors 50m swim.
In his first British Games, Tim Lion from Dublin took part in football and tennis.
Transplant Sport Ireland's U18 athletes Laura McDowell, Sam Kinahan and Sadhbh Browne won an incredible seven medals and living donor Ivan Kinahan won two medals.
The Irish athletes gave their all at the British Transplant Games.
Some will have medals to take home, others may not but each will carry the special memories of competing at these games in their heart.
All the members of Team Ireland should congratulate themselves on representing Ireland and their donors on the international stage.
Each Irish athlete has an incredible story of facing adversity and coming through the medical challenges they faced.
It is not about medal success, intead it is about the courage it takes to line up at the starting line of each event.
To take part is the best way they can to honour their donors and most importantly to show that organ donation works.
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