Kevin Galvin
After nine years and two Olympic Games as a standby, the time has finally come for Rosemary Gaffney to take her place at the Paralympic Games.
The 62-year-old is one of the oldest Paralympian at this year's games, competing in the Para-Dressage event as part of the Equestrian disipline.
Gaffney, who works as the Equine Director at Kildalton College, has overcome two major equine-related injuries, shattering both legs, to compete for her country. It comes after she was selected as a reserve for both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympics, without having the opportunity to take part herself.
The ‘Grade 4’ competition in which she competes is due to start just before 10am Irish Time, with Rosemary and her horse 'Werona' to perform just after 11.30am.
Earlier today Dublin's Ellen Keane booked her place in the final of the SB8 100 metres breaststroke at the Tokyo games.
She qualified in first place from the heats in a personal best time of 1 minute 21 point 7-1 seconds and will be hoping to go better than five years ago, when she won a bronze medal in the same event in Rio. Keane is back in the pool at 11.40 this morning, Irish time.
Meanwhile Ireland's youngest competitor, 16-year-old Limerick swimmer Roisin Ni Riain, finished 6th in the finalof the the S13 100 metres backstroke, with a time of 33.2 seconds.
The final was won in a World Record time by American swimmer Gia Pergolini.
Rio gold medal-winning cyclists Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal finished sixth in the B1000 metres time trial, whole Ronan Grimes was 15th in the C4-5 100 metres time trial.
Colin Judge received a walkover in his scheduled Class 3 table tennis singles match and is back in action tomorrow.
