Gold medal winners Caolan McConville and Lucy Best had a hero’s welcome at Craigavon Ski Centre on Monday, April 14, as they showed off their medals to ministers, mayors and councillors.
The two skiers were part of Team Ireland who brought back 11 medals from the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin last month.
Caolan McConville from Aghagallon won two Gold medals, becoming the first Irish skier to ever compete – and win – in the Advanced Category, while Lucy Best from Ballinderry won two Gold and a Bronze medal.
Joining the celebratory event to mark the achievements of Caolan, Lucy and the whole Team Ireland squad were Junior Ministers Aisling Reilly & Pam Cameron, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Education Minister Paul Givan, Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council Sarah Duffy, and Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh Council, Kurtis Dickson.
Also in attendance were Karen Coventry from Special Olympics Ireland and Angela Litter, the chairperson of Special Olympics Ulster.
Caolan and Lucy were joined by the rest of the Team Ireland Skiers and their Skiability NI team mates, who they regularly train with at the Craigavon Ski Centre.
Karen Coventry paid tribute to the skiers “To see our athletes shine on a world stage – and come home with not just medals, but memories and confidence – is what the Special Olympics is all about. Caolan, Lucy and all our ski team are incredible people, with real drive and determination, and wonderful spirit and personalities to go along with it.
“It is such a pleasure to see so many people here to celebrate their achievements. There is clearly great pride locally for what they have achieved, and I know they will inspire many more to get involved in sport and see the transformative power it has.”
