Brave Gymnast Kieran Behan receives €20,000 boost from Olympic Council
Ireland’s latest Olympic team member, 22 year old Kieran Behan, today received a cheque for €20,000 from Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland to help him in his preparations for the London Games.
Told by doctors that he could never walk again after a devastating childhood illness, Kieran amazed the medical world by pulling through and then, on his 12th birthday, suffered brain damage in a gymnastics training accident. Undaunted, Kieran has shown enormous faith in himself by winning major sporting honours around the world in recent years, culminating in his qualification for Team Ireland at the London Olympics.
Pat Hickey, making the cheque presentation, commented: “Kieran has shown fantastic grit, courage and determination to reach his Olympic goal and is a stunning addition to Ireland’s challenge for Olympic success in London. He has a winning attitude that will inspire both the Irish Olympic team members and the public at large. He will do Ireland proud, that’s for sure”.
Kieran is the first Irish gymnast to qualify for the Olympic Games since 1996. He lives in Croydon, South London and was accompanied to the OCI presentation in Dublin by his parents Bernie (from Newbliss, Co. Monaghan) and Phil (Dublin) plus members of Gymnastics Ireland and his coaches.
