Cavan insulation company Kingspan is to sponsor para athlete Donnacha McCarthy as he aims to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. McCarthy, who is blind and competes in para-triathlons, is aiming to become just the second Irish para-triathlete to compete in the Paralympic Games. He has competed in para-triathlons since 2017.
In that sort time, he has won national titles in 2018 and 2019. He was also named 2019 Para Athlete of the Year by Triathlon Ireland and was a bronze medallist in the 2018 World Paratriathlon Cup. He lost his sight aged just 10 following a battle with leukaemia and now competes with the support of his guide, Triathlon Ireland’s Eamonn Tilly.
The pair are tethered for the running and swimming parts of a race and use a tandem bike for the cycling. The Corkman will step up his training in the coming days a bid to qualify for the summer games in August. Kingspan sponsors some of Ireland ‘s top sports stars, including golfers Shane Lowry and Leona Maguire, Ulster Rugby and Cavan GAA.
McCarthy is pictured with his Traithlon Ireland trainer Eamonn Tilly. Photo: Sportsfile
