Blue Dolphins athletes are honoured at awards night

THE BLUE Dolphins Special Olympics Club held their 2018 awards night in the Grand Hotel recently, where the club honoured various athletes for their achievements during the year.

MC for the occasion was the new Blue Dolphins Chairperson Liam Redmond.

The club formed after the World Games in 2003 and now has over 40 athletes participating in a variety of sports.

Awards were handed out to the most improved athlete in each sporting discipline, including basketball, swimming, golf, floor ball, bowling, table tennis and the motor ac- tivity training programme. The nine club members who won medals in the Special Olympics Irish Games were also presented with their medals.

Amanda Lawless and her daughter Joanne received the award for Persons of the Year. Joanne is a swimmer with the club who has shown great reliance recently, while Amanda is a committee member who is renowned for her tireless work.

Best wishes were also passed on to Aisling Beacom and Rooki, two club members who will represented Ireland in open water swimming and basketball at the Special Olympics World Games taking place next year in Abu Dhabi.

ABOVE, RIGHT: Blue Dolphins Special Olympics Club Members who received their Dedication to Sport Cert Awards.

BELOW, RIGHT: Blue Dolphins Special Olympics Club Athletes who participated in the Ireland Games in June.