Day 4 and a similar schedule to yesterday
Pétanque took a place once again in the stunning Blenheim Palace and the cycling event around the palace area in the evening.
Team Captain Harry Ward and Charlie Ryan were in the Doubles Pétanque ..an open competition with 4 pools of 4 teams and one team coming out of each group. Harry and Chas played 3 games …winning one and unsuccessful in the other 2 by a very close call.
The cycling event took place in the same venue also and the organisers had sensibly modified last nights course….this was a 4 lap circuit that was live streamed.
https://youtu.be/ZLBbvOJT8Ls
John Moran and Mike Gilligan were Team Ireland cycling athletes and the footage showed that both gave it everything. It was a very fast and competitive cycle. Results were delayed as John Moran was in a photo finish with an Italian cyclist and after a forensic photo finish, John was pipped for Gold in 3000th of a second! But what a great Silver medal for Team Ireland.
Mike Gilligan …in his Games debut…came home also with a Silver medal. He was cheered on by his wife Angela and his two daughters who looked proudly on. What a superb achievement Mike in your first outing at the Games.
Mike Gilligan speaking after winning Silver in the Cycling RR earlier today:
As we always say, Transplant Team Ireland is not all about medal success - it is a celebration of life through sport. Medals are great and hard earned, but the real success is each and every athlete who takes part in these Games. Whilst their stories are unique, each share a common bond of facing adversity. Team Ireland applauds all 14 athletes here in Oxford… some will be lucky to win medals but they are all heroes and an inspiration to us all!
#respect! #havetheconversation #sayyestoorgandonation
Medal Count: Gold 6 Silver 5 Bronze 9 Total 20