Final Roundup from Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Team Ireland Shines with Personal Bests and Strong Performances
Team Ireland’s campaign at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games concluded on a high note with several outstanding performances, including a fourth-place finish and personal bests in Para Powerlifting, a magical top-10 result in Para Equestrian, and new personal records across multiple sports.
Britney Arendse Sets New PB and Places Fourth in Para Powerlifting
Cavan native Britney Arendse, the final Team Ireland athlete to compete, delivered an inspiring performance in the Para Powerlifting (up to 79kg) final. Nicknamed “Spartacus” for her determination, Arendse secured fourth place with three clean lifts, each setting new personal bests. Her lifts were as follows:
• Lift 1: 129kg (5th place)
• Lift 2: 131kg (5th place)
• Lift 3: 133kg (4th place overall)
Her result surpasses her previous seventh-place finish in Tokyo 2020, and she bettered her personal record of 124kg, set in Dubai in 2023. Arendse expressed her pride, saying, “I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I’m really happy with where I’ve placed.” She also credited her father and spotter, Denver Arendse, for his support during the Games.
The competition was fierce, with China’s Miaoyu Han setting a new world record of 154kg to win the event.
Sarah Slattery’s Freestyle Dressage Dream
Galway’s Sarah Slattery produced a remarkable finish in Para Equestrian, earning seventh place in the Grade V Freestyle final. After an unexpected call-up, Slattery achieved the best score of her life (71.795), riding her 16-year-old mare, Savona. The rider expressed her joy at the “fairytale” outcome, especially considering it was only her second time performing freestyle at an international competition.
Mary Fitzgerald Finishes Eighth in Shot Put Final
Kilkenny athlete Mary Fitzgerald finished eighth in the F40 Shot Put final with a throw of 7.64m. While her personal best of 8.87m from earlier this season ranked her fifth, the wet conditions in Paris impacted her performance. Fitzgerald said, “I really gave it my best; it just wasn’t to be today.” The event was won by Netherlands’ Lara Baars with a new Paralympic record of 9.10m.
Barry McClements Swims to Fifth in 100m Butterfly S9 Final
Para swimmer Barry McClements capped off a successful competition for Team Ireland in the pool with a fifth-place finish in the 100m Butterfly S9 Final. McClements, who improved on his Tokyo performance, set a new personal best of 1:01.24, surpassing his previous record of 1:01.39 from the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships.
Reflecting on his race, McClements said, “I can’t be angry going a PB, but I’m excited to see what the next four years hold as I aim for a medal in LA 2028.”
Team Ireland’s Final Push
Other standout performances included Richael Timothy finishing 11th in the Women’s C1-3 Road Race and Ireland’s equestrian team clinching 10th place overall in the Team Dressage event.
Team Ireland’s athletes concluded the Games with two medals—silver and bronze in swimming by Róisín Ní Riain—and a host of personal bests, making Paris 2024 a successful and memorable event.