TIARNÁN O’DONNELL of Boher will partake in a number of rowing events at the Paralympic Games.
He is a relative newcomer to the sport, following on from an earlier stellar basketball career with Limerick Celtics and Ireland, whom he captained to a medal podium at the European Under-23 Wheelchair Championships in 2023.
He has won several national titles and cups with Celtics and has also won national player of the year awards as well as European All-Star awards.
Shortly after his exploits on the court, he moved to Cork to base himself closer to the National Rowing Centre.
His rapid progress and natural talent have earned him a place alongside Katie O’Brien (Galway) to compete in the Mixed Double Sculls.
In May, O’Donnell (26) won his first international medal at the 2024 World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland, in the single sculls.
He followed that up by winning his second medal, another silver, at the 2024 World Rowing Cup III in Poznan again in the same discipline.
O’Donnell attended the University of Limerick, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was a recipient of a sports scholarship while he was a student there.
He was diagnosed with a rare malformation in his right leg at the age of five and later in his life with a tumour on the calf. Unfortunately an operation to remove it didn’t work out and brave O’Donnell had his right leg amputaed around the time of his Leaving Certificate in 2018.
Following the operation in London, helped be great willpower, he walked again inside a fortnight.
His first outing at the Games will be tomorrow (Friday).
