Limerick graduate sets sights on Paris Paralympics 2024
A UNIVERSITY of Limerick graduate is aiming to qualify for the Paris Paralympics 2024.
Tiarnán O’Donnell, from Boher, graduated from UL on Wednesday with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from the Faculty of Science and Engineering at UL, one of over 3,500 students graduating this week.
The decorated wheelchair basketball player who captained an Irish U23 wheelchair basketball team to a European Bronze in Finland, decided to make the change from wheelchair basketball to rowing.
The Limerick native only took up para rowing while studying in UL and said a world champion rower led to his switch from the court to watersport.
“Katie (O’Brien) is at the top of this sport and messaged me saying: ‘I think you could be amazing at rowing if you gave it a go’. I decided that once my degree was secured, I would commit everything to this goal of going to the Paralympics next year.
“I walked straight from my final exam to the UL boathouse. The day I started rowing was the day I finished my studies.
He has already won a national title in rowing for UL and in the process, earned the opportunity to row for Ireland in an international regatta this summer.
He was diagnosed with a rare malformation in his right leg at the age of five and underwent operations every few months throughout the rest of his childhood and when he reached his teens, his condition began to rapidly deteriorate. Following consultation with doctors from the USA, he was re-diagnosed with a rare tumour called a Fibro-Adipose Vascular Anomaly.
“I was just the sixteenth person in the world diagnosed with this condition. In the summer before my Leaving Cert year, I underwent an extremely risky procedure to try remove a large portion of the tumour from my calf. Unfortunately, during the operation I got severe nerve damage leaving my leg paralysed.
“Although my leg had been paralysed, the nerve damage caused excruciating pain in my leg and foot. The only way I can describe it is like having my foot on fire or being stabbed in the foot all the time. I underwent weekly treatment to manage the tumour and its side effects all while trying to attend school,” he added.
After sitting his leaving cert he made the difficult decision to have his leg amputated and in 2018 flew to London for the procedure.
Tiarnán has won several national titles and cups with his local team, the Limerick Celtics and has also won national player of the year awards as well as European All-Star awards.