Updated at 20.33
IRELAND’S HELEN KEARNEY has won a bronze medal in the Individual Freestyle Test – Grade Ia at the Paralympics in London today.
Along with her horse Mister Cool, she earned a PB of 78.4%, finishing behind Sophie Christiansen of Team GB and Singapore’s Laurentia Tan, who took gold and silver respectively.
It is the second individual medal Kearney has won at these Paralympics, in addition to helping Ireland win a team medal, and is the country’s ninth medal in total.
Meanwhile, her international compatriot, Geraldine Savage, finished fifth in the same event, with a score of 72.300.
And Kearney expressed her joy at the achievement, saying:
“My first games and three medals, I cannot even put into words how it feels.“The team bronze is fantastic. The team worked so hard that it was a great achievement for us all and is testament to all our hard work that we secured the bronze.”
She added: “Mister Cool was much more relaxed today. The crowd was louder today and I was conscious of this but it worked out well. We both were relaxed and it showed in the result.”
Speaking following Team Ireland’s success, Chairman of Horse Sport Ireland Joe Walsh said:
“To win a team bronze and two individual medals is simply outstanding. I want to send the congratulations and gratitude of the entire Irish equestrian community to Helen and her team mates Eilish, James and Geraldine. Their performances have capped what has been a phenomenal six weeks for Irish equestrian sport. “
In addition, Darragh McDonald, who has already won gold in the 400m Freestyle, finished eighth in the 50m freestyle S6 Paralympic final this evening, with time of 33.26.
The final was won by China’s Xu Qing, who set a new world record with a time of 28.57.
And in sailing, Team Ireland are now ninth overall in the Sonar class, with the trio of John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costelloe delivering their best performance so far to finish second in today’s race.
It’s a joke, the FA are a bunch of clowns anyway
O take your punishment you sulky overpaid idiot. You knew exactly what you were doing with that goal celebration. Definitely knew it would be controversial.
even if that were true and i am not saying it is,you are suggesting being controversial is a punishable offense and at that with a 5 game ban ???
Yes because he knew what he was doing.
well mike punishing someone for being controversial is one of the most stupid things ive ever had the misfortune to hear and tell me how does such and ambiguous offense get defined and who decides ?? is it decided by mass hysteria on the internet ?? i disagree with the fact that he knew it would cause such a stir too,the vast vast majority of people outside france had never even heard of the gesture or the comedian until after anelkas celebration
I completely agree with it. Players can’t be allowed celebrate whatever way they want especially when it can cause controversy. The people in power as always are the people who decide. He will appeal and get the ban reduced as always. Rooney was banned for cursing in to the camera but that particular curse is part of 99% of people’s daily lives. I agreed with that ban too.
The FA should take a leaf out of the NFL’s book and ban all goal celebrations.
Gerard if that is one of the most stupid things you have ever had the misfortune of reading you must have lived a fairly simple and sheltered life up to now. Welcome to the real world!!
I’m glad the great Johnny Giles agrees with me. I would take what he has to say more seriously than what you have to say on the matter Paddy. Go read his article and you might understand the significance of what he did. You must be a big WBA fan to support him. I still find it laughable that you think it’s the must stupid thing you ever read.
can you not answer a simple question mike,who decides what is controversial and how do they define it ?? ” the people in power” is not an answer you might as well have said “holy god” !!!
It’s not up to me to decide who punishes players for incidents like this is it? I’m not involved in the FA. Do you acutally not know who punished him? Have you had your head buried for your whole life? The same people in the FA dish out all the fines and bans to players and managers. Go research it on the internet if you want further information as I’m not going to waste my time explaining it. You are either a wum or you know absolutely nothing about soccer.
Did you read the John Giles article like I said? You probably don’t even know who he is considering you don’t know who hands down the bans to players. Who hands down bans to any player in any sport?? The fans? The club shop worker? The burger van worker outside the ground? Or in this instance just possibly maybe the FA!! You probably don’t know what FA stands for.
Guess you just don’t like Monsieur Anelka, Mike
I only dislike any player who does a stupid needless goal celebration that could cause any kind of controversy. To do something that caused a lot of anger and disgust in your own country is disgusting. It’s nothing got to do with disliking a player it’s got to do with their lack if common decency
i will try one last time mike,you are testing my patience but i know you cant help it but HOW IS CONTROVERSY TO BE DEFINED ??? and you slow slow man who is to decide it as in because iabunch of sad people take to the internet to get hysterical does that then make something punishable by a 5 match ban or does everyone have to write a letter to the fa !!! tell me mike you vague ambiguous clown of a man
O Gerard are you getting a bit hot under the collar? Are you Anelka or a relative of his?
The people in the FA decide what controversy is and they called it spot on here. His gesture caused outrage in France. He knew his gesture would cause this. He will deny it the same way anyone will deny any wrongdoing. If there were not places like courts and sporting organisations to hand out prison sentences and bans etc. nobody would get punished for their actions.
What did you think of the John Giles article Gerard?
see first of all i didnt think you were talking to me because you said “paddy” my name is gerard,were you using a derogatory name for irish people ??? i had presumed you were irish second of all insulting me isnt the best way to get me to comply generally and lastly i am well aware of who charged him with the offense but its not because the english FA themselves personally found it controversial,they arent the kings of soccer in england,i will ask you for the fourth time,who decides its been controversial and more importantly how is controversial to be defined ??? if you dont know thats ok just say so !
I’m not here to teach you the workings of the FA Paddy. Go on the internet, if you know what that is, and read up about who decides. I’ll give you a hint it has the letters F & A in it. If that hint doesn’t help you along I think it would be best for all if you put your head back into that hole. Obviously you are not cut out for the real world as you are easily upset. Imagine getting upset about people having choice words to say about Nicolas Anelka. You must be either him, a friend, a relative or that idiot comedian.
hahahaha “paddy” oh im really insulted now,did you come up with that on your own ?? who’s a clever boy.id say you make your mother realy proud,the irony of saying i get too easily upset is almost too much for me,thanks mike ive had a great laugh at your expense mind yourself and remember to wear your helmet :-)
Ok Paddy no bother. Try enjoy your day. Keep the tissues close by to dry your weeping eyes!!
hahahaha paddy,say it again for me,it hurts me so bad !!!!! hey ive a question for HOW ARE THEY TO DEFINE CONTROVERSY ???? bet you cant answer !!!! ahhahahahah i love you mike
Say hello to Nicolas for me Paddy and give him a nice kiss. Ye will be able to spend lots of time watching DVD’s of yere comedian friend whilst he serves his much deserved ban for causing such controversy. Naughty boy that Nicolas. Ooops I hope that comment doesn’t upset you further, hope you took my advice and kept the tissues close by, give Nicolas a few too!
A dictionary is good for finding the definition of words, maybe you might use that in your quest to understand the word controversy. Although I’m not too sure you will understand what a dictionery is and you will need a dictionery to figure out what a dictionery is!!! Oooooo you live in a confused world!!! Poor baby
HOW IS CONTROVERSY TO BE DEFINED ???? imagine not being able to answer a simple question about the point you made,its like you dont even understand yourself !!! hahahahaha and the paddy is more clever,that must sting HOW IS CONTROVERSY TO BE DEFINED???
still cant answer my question ???ill give you another chance,im sound like that HOW IS CONTROVERSY TO E DEFINED ????
Poor Paddy doesn’t know what a dictionery is! Ah well to be fair I suppose not everyone had the good fortune to be educated.
If you did have a dictionery I’d say you would find a picture of your boyfriend Nicolas under the word controversial. Ah maybe that’s it, maybe you don’t want to look up the word in the dictionery as you know your boyfriend will be pictured there and you can’t come to terms with the fact he’s controversial. He probably will have a sulky face on him in the picture as usual
hahahahahahaha mike you legend !!! :-0 hey i have a question for you,HOW WILL THEY DEFINE CONTROVERSY ??? imagine a paddy who doesnt know what a dictionary is being smarter than you !! must sting,bit like your mothers vag !! hahaha go on mike keep it coming (again your mother springs to mind)
This might shock you Paddy but there is a dictionery that can fit in your pocket, it’s called a pocket size dictionery. Imagine you could have this in your pocket to help you when you get stumped by the definition of words. You could use it in the special school you obviously attend and you could become the star pupil. Imagine, Paddy of all people becoming the teachers pet after all the years of not understanding words and having your head buried in a hole, are you an ostrich by any chance? I don’t think you are unless Nicolas is dating an ostrich! I suppose he could be considering he likes doing controversial things. I hope one day you can figure out the definition of the word controversy special Paddy. Maybe ask the teacher in the morning and he/she might give you some help with it. I suppose it’s not fair to abuse thickos like yourself but it’s funny so why not, it passes cold January days!
Paddy do you know what an apostrophe is? Maybe that lesson hasn’t come up in that special school yet.
what is this apostrophe you speak of ??? is it the philosopher ??? we dont do philosophy in my special needs school.hey her’s a question for you HOW ARE THEY TO DEFINE CONTROVERSY ???
O Paddy Paddy Paddy you are even thicker than I thought. Don’t worry there is a place for people of all intelligence or lack of in this world. Ye make the world a funny place and give us intelligent people something to laugh at.
Proper order. I dont buy his stupidity defence at all. He is paid eneough to behave – no place for politics or racism in sport whichever way you interpret the gesture.
Well said James, fair play
it wasnt political nor racial,he did it in support of a comedian
He did but he knew it would cause outrage in his country as that comedian had already caused outrage because of things he said and did similar gestures. It’s not like he was doing a gesture in support of a comedian that had never got in trouble and it was taken up the wrong way. The soccer pitch is not the place to do any kind of gesture to support anyone.
so you cant answer ??? hahahahahahhahahaha ok ok,here’s an easy one for you HOW ARE THEY TO DEFINE CONTROVERSY ????
is that your way of sayin you dont know ????? :-0 hahaha go on the paddies we’re so smart and witty !!!!!! :-) hey ive a question for you mike HOW ARE THEY TO DEFINE CONTROVERSY ???
Paddy where are you gone? I thought we were friends!!!
Mike i dont know what your nationality is but you are one of the intelligencia in your country the God help your nation
With a head on you like that god help your nation and any future kids!! Good lord