Limerick's Tara and Trevor win over a quarter of Ireland’s medals at Transplant Games

THE phrase “it's not the winning but the taking part that counts” could have been written for the British Transplant Games.

Ten Irish athletes - seven adults and three children – won 10 gold, 9 silver and 3 bronze medals between then in Newport, Wales at the weekend. Limerick’s Tara Madigan and Cappamore’s Trevor Lynch won over a quarter of the medals between them.

Tara, aged 12, from Castleconnell, won two golds and a silver. Trevor, aged in his 50s, from Cappamore but now living in Buckinghamshire in the UK, won three silvers.

Irish teams are invited to compete under the banner of Transplant Team Ireland, which is the sports programme organised by the Irish Kidney Association.

Tara received a liver transplant in 2012 while Trevor is a bone marrow recipient. The daughter of Sean and Anne Madigan moved up to the 12-14 age group this year. Sean said the plan was to go to the games and take part with no pressure, a kind of holiday. But given Tara's ancestry, taking part doesn't seem to be in the DNA! After all she is a great granddaughter of the legendary Mick Mackey.

“Tara’s first event was the 3km mini marathon on Saturday evening. She lined up alongside Laura McDowell, from Dalkey, for the start. Laura in the 9-11 years race and Tara in the 12-14 race.

“Tara ran really well to win her first gold of the games with Laura following her home to win her age race also. Additionally, Trevor Lynch, from Cappamore, won a silver medal in his age category race,” said Sean.

First up on Sunday morning was the 100m sprint.

“After a great race Tara came up just short, being beaten to the gold by Maisie Danagher from Birmingham,” said Sean. Tara missed out on gold by just 0.07 of a second.

The long jump was next. Last year, Tara jumped a Transplant Games world record of 3.29m in her age group to win gold. The pressure was on but she more than rose to the occasion.

The Castleconnell NS pupil’s opening jump was 3.40m – a new personal best. She sailed to 3.56m on her next go. On her final jump, the sister of Érin and Éle lept to a third personal best in three jumps with 3.77m to comfortably take gold in the long jump for the fourth year in a row.

“Tara is achieving at the British Transplant Games because her donor and family had the ‘chat’ and her wishes were followed through after a very untimely death.

“We have been lucky enough to meet Tara’s donor’s mum and stepdad and thank them every time we meet. They thank us and Tara for making such good use of Tania’s donation to Tara,” said Sean, who thanked all the volunteers in Newport, the Irish children’s team management and adult competitors for all their support over the weekend.

Sean encourages families to “have the chat”.

For more information on organ donation please visit www.ika.ie