Paralympics: Golden wonder smashes own world best in 800m
18-year-old Michael McKillop wraps himself in the tricolour after finishing in first place at the Bird?s Nest Stadium
More photos:Thursday September 11 2008
IRISH paralympic gold medalist Michael McKillop had an inkling he’d come home with the top prize from the Bird Nest Stadium in Beijing last night.
But he never thought he’d smash a world record which he had set two years ago.
The 18-year-old student from Glengormley, Co Antrim, won Ireland’s first gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Beijing yesterday in the 800-metre race while shaving off 2.74 seconds off his world record set at the World Championships in 2006.
Speaking to the Irish Independent last night after clocking in at 1.59.39 seconds, Michael said he didn’t even realise he had won the race until he looked up at the giant screen as he crossed the finish line.
“When I was coming home, I looked up on the big screen and saw I was the only one on it, so I figured I’d won,” he said.
“Then as I came crossing the finish line, I saw the Irish flags go up. I did a victory lap around the stadium and it was just electric,” he added.
Michael – who is studying Sport and Leisure Management at Belfast Metropolitan College, and cites the Arctic Monkeys and The Chemical Brothers as his favourite bands – credits his father Paddy for coaching him and helping to prepare him physically and emotionally for the biggest race of his career.
“He was a bit emotional at the end and I’m sure he’s pretty pleased,” he said. “But we had a plan over the past year to win and we’re really a family training team.”
Michael was always quietly confident that he would do his best on the day and he was right.
“In my own heart, I thought I was the best in the field and everything went right,” he said.
“I was pretty confident I could progress. Everything went right on the day,” he said, adding he also attributes his serious commitment to training, a positive attitude and support from the Irish Sports Council for helping him achieve his glorious win yesterday.
Immediately after the win, Michael rang his mother Catherine to tell her the news to the delight of his sisters Claire (22), Shara (20) and Ciara (12).
“That’s me done now,” he said. “I’ll just go home, live with the success of it and go on to train some more for cross-country races.”
John Fulham, spokesman for the Paralympic Council of Ireland said Michael’s achievement yesterday was “phenomenal”.
Michael, who suffers from a mild form of cerebral palsy, competed in the 737 class of the event according to his level of physical ability. But Fulham said his athletic prowess in his category puts him in the same league as Sonia O’Sullivan.
“He’s only 18 and for him to do this is amazing,” he said. He described the scene at the Bird’s Nest Stadium as sheer pandemonium when 91,000 spectators cheered him on.
“There was absolute elation in the Irish camp. It’s funny how the Irish suddenly appear to lose all sense of decorum. To call the atmosphere here electrifying is an understatement,”
Fulham said. Michael, meanwhile, said he is honoured to be compared to Sonia O’Sullivan and hopes his win will drive home the message that “paralympic athletes are on the same level as ablebodied champions”.
President Mary McAleese last night said the entire country was proud of Michael's stunning achievement. “I extend my warmest congratulations to Michael on his emphatic victory today in the men's 800m final in Beijing,'' she said.
Sports Minister Martin Cullen also paid tribute to his victory. “I am delighted for Michael McKillop, who has achieved a gold medal in a new Paralympic world-record time,''
From Herald.ie:Paralympic hero 'is not disabled enough' to play.
