Tandem cycling goes from strength to strength in Sligo
Wednesday January 13 2010
The Tandem Cycling Initiative developed for cyclists with a visual impairment by Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership with support from local cycling club the Innisfree Wheelers has gone from strength to strength in the past year.
Following an initial 'Come & Try' Tandem Cycling event in 2008, a number of local visually impaired athletes indicated their desire to pursue the sport of Tandem Cycling further.
One participant Tom Kavanagh, highlighted in a previous article, took the participation route with regard to his cycling experience and has completed both the An Post Tour of Sligo and the Malin to Mitzen Head Cycle in 2009. Tom continues to train regularly in Sligo with the aid of a tandem pilot.
Another visually impaired athlete from the county involved in the Tandem Cycling initiative is John Goldrick from Aclare in South Sligo. John initially became interested in participating in athletics as part of Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnerships Sports Inclusion Disability Project, but, after trying the Tandem Cycling on a couple of occasions,
John really enjoyed the sport and wished to participate on a more regular basis. Following links made with the Innisfree Wheelers Cycling Club through the sports partnership John trained with the club and also attended a number of cycling tests and trials organised and delivered by Cycling Ireland as part of their Para-Cycling Development Programme. Both organisers and coaches within Cycling Ireland recognised John's potential and he has since become a member of the Para-Cycling Development Programme.
Indeed such has been John's progression that he only narrowly missed out on selection for Ireland in the World Track Cycling Championships held in Manchester in November of this year. Despite his disappointment at not being selected to participate in this event John has begun training even harder with his tandem pilot Alan Kelly from the Innisfree Wheelers Club. The prospect of qualifying for next years World Track Championships due to be held in Cali, Columbia are serving as a powerful motivation for John to try and unlock that potential and realise his dream of competing for his country.
John and Alan have been training together for a number of months now as members of the Innisfree Wheelers Cycling Club and can be seen regularly around the roads and hills of County Sligo. With the recent purchase of a new racing tandem from Cycling Ireland, supported by Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, one feels it is only a matter of time before Sligo has its first International Tandem Cyclist
Anyone wishing to find out more about the Tandem Cycling Initiative or sports and active recreational opportunities for people with a disability can contact Shane Hayes, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer with Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership on 071-9161511 or shane@sligosportandrecreation.ie
