Jason Smyth with his proud wife Elsie and daughter Evie
DERRY’S Jason Smyth has heaped praised on his family who he says have spurred him on to greater things.
In the aftermath of winning his second gold medal at the World Para Athletics Championship being held in London, the Eglinton sprinter paid tribute to his wife, Elise, and daughter Evie, who in no small way continue to motivate him as the years pass by.
“I can’t stress how much my family mean to me,” said Smyth.
He ran a season best of 21.40 seconds, leaving him well clear of Namibia’s Johannes Nambala, who pipped Mateusz Michaelski of Poland on the line for the silver.
“The reality is my family are the ones who are always there,” added Jason.
“And there’s nothing more incredible than coming around on the lap of honour after winning a gold medal to share and celebrate with Elise, and obviously Evie is not even two yet, and doesn’t quite understand, but it’s incredible.
“And only as she gets older, hopefully she can look at the things that I have achieved, and believes that she can achieve whatever she wants too.”
The emotion showing then, and why not: the Derry athlete had once again beaten Nambala to the 100 title at the Paralympics in Rio last summer, his third successive gold in that event (the 200m wasn’t included).
He now remains unbeaten in Paralympics sport since 2005, at the age of the 18.
That was the same season he won a European double, and no one has come close to stopping him since.
Following his 100m gold on Sunday, the same night Michael McKillop won 800m gold and the silver won by both Niamh McCarthy and Orla Barry in their discuss respective classes, it was the fifth medal for the Irish team so far: McKillop goes again over 1,500m on Saturday with every intention of completing his double.
For Smyth, who suffers from the degenerative vision impairement Stargardt’s disease, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics aren’t now far off, where he would be chasing a sixth gold medal.
His best times – of 10.22 seconds in able-bodied competition, and a world record of 10.46 for Paralympic competition – may appear to be behind him, yet the opposition cannot seem to catch up.
Well done again Jason. Derry is very proud of your amazing achievements!
Proud dad Jason Smyth with his gorgeous daughter Evie
