Civic reception in honour of swim champion O’Toole
Swimming champion Gary O’Toole was at Bray Town Hall last Friday evening for a civic reception in his honour, 25 years after he won the World University Games Championships of 1991.
‘As a family we are very proud of Gary for his sporting and academic career as he was a high achiever from an early age,’ said Gary’s father Aidan on the night.
‘His dedication and commitment to swimming was replicated, which saw a change in the structure of Irish swimming,’ said Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District Brendan Thornhill. ‘He has also become a world class orthopaedic surgeon. These achievements have made and are making a great mark on a daily basis to people’s lives.’
Twenty-five years ago Gary O’Toole became Wicklow’s and Ireland’s first ever world champion swimmer in the World Universiade Games.
At the time, he was studying medicine at UCD and training in Presentation College pool in Bray, at his father Aidan’s club Triton. Swimming for Ireland, representing UCD, he won the men’s 200 metre breaststroke and became the first Irish person to achieve this at university level.
Another significant performance from Gary was his silver medal win at the European Championships in 1989. It was Gary’s fastest time and Ireland’s first ever European medal in a 50 metre pool.
Apart from his swimming and academic achievements, Gary will always be remembered for his pursuit and determination in exposing child abuse in swimming. He went against the hierarchy in swimming and put his own medical career in danger, leaving no stone unturned in the quest for justice after a friend confided in Gary that coach George Gibney had been abusing him. His legacy is that safeguards were introduced in sports as a result of his endeavours.
The Bray man decided to retire from competitive swimming to concentrate on his medical career at the age of 24. He had become disillusioned with the swimming authorities at the time.
Gary is now a worldwide and renowned orthopaedic consultant specialising in bone cancer and knee surgery. He his married to Sorcha and they have twin daughters Libby and Robyn.
In his spare time he uses the 50 metre pool at UCD for fitness, a facility that was never available to him during his swimming career.
To date, no other Irish male swimmer has reached his standards.
Minister for Health Simon Harris was present at last Thursday’s reception, as well as newly-elected senator for Dun Laoghaire Victor Boyhan, Brian Mullins, former Dubs great and head of sport at UCD, Morgan O’Sullivan and his wife Liz, Deputy John Brady, and members of Bray Municipal District.