Fifth at World Championships Sees Patrick O'Leary Through to Paralympic Games

22nd August 2019

Patrick O'Leary Credit: canoeicf.com

#Canoeing: Patrick O’Leary realised his dream of qualifying his boat for his second successive Paralympic Games today. The Ireland canoeist finished fifth in the A Final of the VL3 200 metres at the canoe sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary. Curtis McGrath of Australia took the gold. O’Leary, who had won his semi-final, was in fourth or fifth right through a race in which six boats qualified for Tokyo.

Barry Watkins missed out on a chance of qualifying for the Olympic Games in the K1 500. The Irishman took sixth in his semi-final and will compete in a B Final.

Canoe Sprint World Championships, Szeged, Hungary (Irish interest)

Men

K1 500 Semi-Final Three: 6 Ireland (B Watkins) 1:40.38.

Paracanoeing – Men’s VL3 200m A Final (Top six nations qualify for Paralympic Games): 1 Australia (C McGrath) 47.42 seconds; 5 Ireland (P O’Leary) 49.27.

Published in Canoeing

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About The Author

Liam Gorman

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Liam Gorman is a writer and reporter. He is the co-author of Little Lady, One Man, Big Ocean, published in the United States and Canada as Crossing the Swell. He is the rowing correspondent of the Irish Times.

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