Cycling Ireland have announced a strong team for the UCI Paracycling Track World Championships which will take place from October 20th to October 23rd.
A nine-strong Team Ireland contingent will compete at the championships in Paris next month in what is their last major competition goal for 2022.
Tokyo Paralympics silver medalists Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal will target the Pursuit and Kilo events while Richael Timothy, Ronan Grimes and Chris Burns will compete in a range of events.
Men’s duos Martin Gordon and Eoin Mullen as well as Damien Vereker and Marcin Mizgajski round off an exciting Ireland selection.
Team Ireland Head Coach Neill Delahaye said:
"The UCI Paracycling Track Worlds are the last major Competition goal in 2022 for the Paracycling Team. We are aiming for a consistent showing from all our athletes across all races."
With a men’s and women’s early quota place for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the championships resemble a chance to earn crucial Nations ranking points. Delahaye added:
“With one female and one male qualification slot available at the end of this year, everyone will be doing their utmost to perform at their best and earn adequate Nations ranking points to secure those two early quota places for the Paris 2024 Games.”
And Team Ireland will get a taste for the Paralympics with the velodrome in Saint-Quentine-en-Yvelines the same that will be used in the 2024 games. Delahaye continued:
“The Velodrome in Saint-Quentine-en-Yvelines is the Track Cycling location for Paris 2024 which also gives us an early opportunity to race at the Games venue which will be a valuable experience for the riders and support team. We have not raced on the Track since Tokyo and everyone is looking forward to getting back on the boards for some fast and hard racing.”
Team Ireland
Katie-George Dunlevy & Eve McCrystal – Pursuit & Kilo
Ronan Grimes – Pursuit, Kilo, Scratch, Omnium (200 is additional event to make up a 4 race Omnium)
Richael Timothy - Pursuit, 500, Scratch, Omnium (200 is additional event to make up a 4 race Omnium)
Chris Burns - Pursuit, Kilo, Scratch, Omnium (200 is additional event to make up a 4 race Omnium)
Martin Gordon & Eoin Mullen – Kilo & Sprint
Damien Vereker & Marcin Mizgajski – Pursuit & Kilo
