Derry’s four-times Paralympic gold medallist Jason Smyth has become Northern Ireland’s first “Ambassador for Sport.”
Jason Smyth
The visually-impaired sprinter, from Eglinton, received worldwide attention and praise after securing two gold medals at last year’s London Paralympics, where he repeated his T13 100m and 200m double first achieved at the Beijing Games.
The 25-year-old, who has only 10 per cent vision because of an hereditary, degenerative eye condition, was in a class of his own when he clocked 10.46 seconds in the 100 metres, making him the fastest Paralympian of all time.
Jason will mark his new role by visiting his old primary school in his home village of Eglinton today.
He said it was a “privilege” and an “honour” to be appointed the North’s first Sproting Ambassador and said he would use the role to inspire others to become, hopefully, Paralympic, Olympic and world champions in 10 to 20 years time.
Antoinette McKeown, of Sport Northern Ireland, described Jason’s sporting success as “inspirational” and would be looking to Jason to inspire others.
She said: “Northern Ireland athletes bring huge pride to the whole community. They teach us persistence, discipline, commitment and that never-say-die attitude.”
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