Success for Irish paralympic team

CYCLING:The Irish Paralympic team continued their fine form yesterday when the tandem pairing of Michael Delaney and David Peelo finished third in the match sprint competition at the Para-cycling Pan-American Championships in Colombia.

Delaney, who is visually impaired, was previously a successful athlete and took bronze in the high jump at the World Paralympic championships in August 2003. He and his tandem pilot Peelo recorded a 200 metres time of 11.685 seconds yesterday to qualify fourth and secure a place in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals they beat Colombia, lost out to eventual winners Canada but then beat Argentina in the ride-off for bronze to land a place on the podium.

The performance brought the Ireland team's tally to three bronze medals. On Sunday, Delaney and Peelo set an Irish record of four minutes 44.419 seconds in qualification for the 4km pursuit and went on to finish third. On Wednesday, Enda Smyth netted bronze in the CP4 category of the 1km individual time trial, in one minute 16.857 seconds. This was 1.92 seconds quicker than his previous Irish record set at this year's World Championships in Bordeaux.

Additional strong rides include Delaney and Peelo's fourth in the 1km time trial, just 0.195 off another medal, and Smyth's fourth in the individual pursuit.

Andrew Fitzgerald and John Lynch were sixth in the 4km pursuit on Sunday and seventh in yesterday's match sprint, while LC1 rider Cathal Miller was seventh in the 4km pursuit. Other top-10 places went to Fitzgerald and Lynch (ninth in 1km time trial), Catherine Walsh and Joanna Hickey (ninth in 1km time trial, ninth in 3km pursuit), and Miller (10th in 1km individual TT). The Irish team's strong performance has copperfastened a second Irish slot for next year's Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Today is a rest day. They will move to Palmira for the road races tomorrow.

In other news, Pezula riders David O'Loughlin, Martyn Irvine, Morgan Fox and Paul Healion will take part in the 18th Revolution track meet in Manchester velodrome tomorrow. In the last edition of the series O'Loughlin placed second in the 15 km scratch race and seventh in the points race. Healion was fifth in both the latter event and also in the 28-lap motor-paced scratch race, where Irvine was eighth.

FIXTURES: Friday-Sunday:Level One coaching course, Craigavon Watersports Centre. Starts 5pm, Friday, open to accredited foundation level coaches. Contact Gary McKeegan on (+44) 07751863332 or gary.mckeegan@nrc.ac.uk.