Special Olympics Ireland: Hopefuls aim to ski for success

About 300 athletes are expected to descend on County Armagh for the Special Olympics Ireland Winter Games this weekend.

It is the first time the event has been held in Northern Ireland.

Events are taking place in Lurgan and Craigavon.

20-year-old skier Caolan McConville said the opportunity to compete in the championships on his doorstep is a dream come true.

"It is going to feel amazing," said Caolan.

"The whole of my village, I live nearby, is hopefully going to be around," he added.

Alpine Skiing is taking place at the Golf and Ski Centre in Lurgan and Floorball taking over the South Lakes Centre in Craigavon.

It's short but it's steep - Caolan

Caolan said Alpine skiing is fast, rapid and steep

Caolan's event, Alpine Skiing, is not for the faint-hearted - a rapid downhill slalom on a steeply inclined slope - but he's been competing for 12 years and thrives off the excitement.

"It is short but it is really steep - that is the magic of the slope," he said.

"You are going fast - maybe a max of 50 or 60 (mph) if you are beelining it down. There are no guards, so if you fall it could be bad. I remember the first time going down it I was really, really nervous," he explained.

There are timers on the poles that the athletes ski around and Caolan said you must "get around the poles as quickly and as closely as you can" to make your mark.

Head coach Jill Coulter said the athletes are hyped up and working hard

Head Coach at Craigavon Golf and Ski Centre, Jill Coulter Sloan, believes the benefits for competitors are huge.

"They are amazing. The hype is there and they are working so hard.

"We started this a number of years ago, with media we get a lot of calls and a lot of new members.

"It helps their lifestyles and they change so much and are free to talk to anybody. Each athlete has a different challenge," she added.

Home grown stars

Shaun Cassidy said Northern Ireland has a real home advantage, with every region being very competitive

Regional Director of Special Olympics Ireland Shaun Cassidy is hoping home advantage will benefit the Ulster squad.

"In Ulster we have eight Floorballers and 15 skiers taking part and they will join a team of around 300 athletes travelling from all over the island of Ireland to take part," he said.

"We are very lucky to have a bit of home advantage. There is super competitiveness between the regions.

"It can be difficult for individuals with intellectual disabilities because no matter what comes at you it is a different challenge and a different way to address and understand those things and make sense of that - so there is a different coaching style in terms of how to support the athletes in that regard."

With different levels and abilities taking part, Mr Cassidy said it is important to manage expectations.

"This will be for some people their dream of attending a huge event - for others there will be a hope that they could get selected for the World Games in Italy in 2025.

"Like our oath 'Let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt', we aren't just looking forward to some winners - but also to some personal bests," he said.

The Special Olympics Ireland Winter Games take place from 22-24 March.