All eyes on Tokyo again as the Paralympics is set to start and two women with Kilkenny ties are among Team Ireland

Over 4,000 athletes from 160 different countries are set to compete in the 2020 Paralympics, which begin today in Tokyo.

Team Ireland has 29 competitors in a variety of sports, among them two with local connections – Kilkenny woman Mary Fitzgerald goes in the shotput while Tipperary native Rosemary Gaffney, who lives and works in South Kilkenny, is one of the equestrian hopefuls.

Ireland has a good track record at the Paralympics – taking home 16 medals from London in 2012 and 11 from Rio De Janeiro in 2016.

While world-renowned tenor and current local Covid vaccinator Ronan Tynan from Johnstown has a haul from both the 1984 and 88 games.

Eimear Breathnach, President of Paralympics Ireland, says she’s optimistic there will be more success this year.

Coverage will be screened on Irish TV from 11:50am this morning.

アイルランドを含む23か国が参加した1960年の第1回パラリンピック競技大会から約60年、#東京2020 でもアイルランド代表選手たちの活躍が期待されます。

当館は、日本のイラストレーター @AkahanaDragon さんとコラボし、マンガ風のイラストで #TeamIreland を応援します📣 @ParalympicsIRE pic.twitter.com/1gA6YECY8J

— アイルランド大使館 Ireland in Japan (@IrishEmbJapan) August 24, 2021