A sixteen-year-old Derry schoolboy has been chosen to light the Olympic Flame cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics in Dublin on June 21st.
David McCauley, who is to compete in the 10-pin bowling competition at the Games, will light the flame in front of an estimated television audience of over one billion viewers.
David, from the Creggan area of Derry, has been a student at Belmont House Special School for the past 10 years. His parents Patsy and Jean and his siblings Paddy, Sean-Paul, Ciara, Rachael and Laura were yesterday celebrating David's selection.
"It's not very often David is speechless, but he's completely gobsmacked," his mother Jean said. "He's been down in Dublin for a few trial runs in preparation for lighting the flame. We're all so proud of him as we are of all the Special Olympics' athletes."
David, who said he's looking forward to meeting Westlife and "going to the discos" at the Games, is the only athlete from Derry competing in the Special Olympics.
"I won two golds and a bronze at the Special Olympics National Games and because of that my name went into the hat for lighting the flame."