Youngest member of Transplant Team Ireland wins Silver at European Games

Yesterday, on their first day they fared exceptionally well securing 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 6 Bronze in the mini-marathon and petanque events. Spirits are high amongst the team and everyone is thoroughly enjoying their games experience in Krakow.

In Badminton today Team Ireland’s youngest member, sixteen year old Andrew Duncan of Tipperary secured a silver medal. Andrew played exceptionally well despite playing in the challenging older age category 18-29 years. Andrew was delighted with the outcome, “I am only sixteen and was competing in the 18-29 year age category. The standard was extremely high so I am ecstatic with my silver medal. I want to thank my family and the Team for all their support and my uncle William in Bagenalstown and John Amond for training me. The training paid off.”

Andrew had a very successful day as he also secured bronze in the doubles badminton competition with his partner Baldoyle man and Team Captain Harry Ward.

Transplant Team Ireland is comprised of 34 athletes including 25 men and 9 women ranging in age from 16 to 76 years and includes 29 transplant recipients (5 liver, 22 kidney, 1 combined kidney and pancreas, and 1 bone marrow transplant), as well as five people who are receiving dialysis treatment. The 8th European Transplant & Dialysis Championships will run in Krakow until the 23rd of August.

At the previous European Championships which were held in Zagreb , Croatia in 2012, with a smaller team of 26, Ireland was placed in third position on the medals table after France and Slovenia out of 28 participating countries after securing an impressive medals haul of 14 Gold, 15 Silver and 21 Bronze.

The European Championships involve over 500 athletes from 24 European countries. Throughout the Championships, which run from 16th - 23rd August, athletes will compete in badminton, tennis, cycling, darts, golf, petanque, swimming, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis, volleyball, mini-marathon, track and field and for the first time this year a biathlon event.