Dundalk's McCrystal plays key part of Team of the Year winners

Katie-George Dunlevy, Ireland’s most decorated Irish Paralympic athlete, and her pilots Linda Kelly and Eve McCrystal claimed the ‘Team of the Year Award’ at The Irish Times Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Awards 2024 which took place in Dublin recently.

The trio won the Award for their outstanding achievements at the Paralympics and World Championships in 2024. In an amazing year, Dunlevy amassed five Paralympic and World Championship medals.

In Paris, she won a gold and silver with new pilot Kelly as well as a silver with long-time partner McCrystal – who hails from Dundalk - before going on to win two gold at the World Championships in Zurich with Kelly.

For a group of athletes to achieve what this trio did in ordinary circumstances would be remarkable.

The fact that Dunlevy and her pilots achieved these results in a year in which they suffered a litany of setbacks including multiple crashes, injuries and illnesses is barely believable.

In early May, Dunlevy and Kelly crashed during a World Cup race in Belgium, Dunlevy was left badly bruised and with an injured hand, but Kelly sustained a concussion that ruled her out of action for a spell.

Eve McCrystal then stepped in to pilot Dunlevy in another World Cup race in Italy ten days later.

They also crashed, but with Paralympic qualifying points at stake, the pair got back on their bike and managed a fourth-place finish despite Dunlevy being in agony.

It was only later when she was X-rayed that she learned she had broken her collarbone. Lying on her hospital bed, Dunlevy, who’s based in Crawley in the UK, put any thoughts that she wouldn’t be able to participate in Paris out of her head.

She then flew back to Dublin, had her operation and six days later was back on her bike, albeit using just one arm. But that was just for starters.

In all Dunlevy and Kelly had five crashes through the year, Kelly had Covid twice, and also had to endure a leg infection.

Dunlevy had an arm infection, and, on the eve of the Paralympics, picked up a virus which left her in bed in the athletes’ village for three days. Just before the World Championships, she tested positive for Covid.

But as Dunlevy explained, they were able to take all these setbacks in their stride. “You know, I’ve had many challenges growing up and had lots of knock-backs, and I’ve been learning to live with sight loss all my life, so I think that just made me very resilient.

(Team of the Year winners Linda Kelly, Katie-George Dunlevy, and Eve McCrystal at the The Irish Times Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Awards. Picture by Kieran Harnett)

A broken collarbone and illness? I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve gone through much worse than this. And Linda had huge challenges this year too….we had to be there for each other and support each other which we did.”

Her success with Kelly this year has been remarkable, and Dunlevy paid tribute to the Wexford woman’s contribution to a medal-laden year.

But there was a poignancy to her teaming up again with her long-time partner McCrystal, a Garda based in Ardee, for the B3,000m individual pursuit in Paris.

It was McCrystal’s last Paralympics, so it was to be their final race together after a glittering decade of success.

“We have so many amazing memories. My first medal was with Eve in 2014 and my first Paralympic medal was with her in 2016……We had our challenging times, cycling is such a tough sport and tandem racing adds more challenges.

“But it’s an amazing sport – having a Paralympic athlete, a disabled athlete, racing and training with able-bodied athlete is something really special. It was a great end to our partnership and to the time we’ve had together.”

Boxer Kellie Harrington, who claimed her second Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics last August, was crowned The Irish Times Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year for 2024.

The Dubliner’s victory over China’s Wenlu Yang in the 60kg final on a never-to-be-forgotten night at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, made Harrington the first Irish boxer to win two gold Olympic medals.

Harrington, who celebrated her 35th birthday in early December, also joins a select group of only four athletes who have successfully defended an Olympic title – the others being double sculls rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy and hammer thrower Dr Pat O’Callaghan.

2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the Awards, and it is the second time Harrington has claimed the overall Sportswoman of the Year title.

(Back: Eimir Blackmore, Ade Adeleke, Lisa Clancy on behalf of Lucy Mulhall, Lisa Clancy on behalf of Róisín Ní Riain, Ciara Mageean, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Mona McSharry, Fionnuala McCormack. Front: Linda Kelly, Kellie Harrington, Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal at the Irish Times Sport Eireann Sportswoman of the Year Awards. Picture by Kieran Harnett)

The first one came back in 2018 after she claimed the lightweight title at the World Boxing Championships in New Delhi.

After winning gold in Paris, Harrington indicated she was ready to call it a day. “A lot of the time people don’t know when to finish, so I’m happy that I am making that decision to finish it this way, my way, and go out as a double Olympic champion.”

That she most definitely did, serenading ecstatic Irish fans after the medal ceremony with an emotional rendition of Grace.

Back in Dublin, the party was only getting underway, especially for thousands of her diehard fans in Dublin’s north inner city, who had watched the final on the big screen in Diamond Park. Portland Row’s finest, the ‘Queen of Dublin City’ did it her way.

Other recipients of the 12 monthly awards included: Sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke, for her brilliant performances at the World Relay Championships in the Bahama.

Katie Taylor, who defeated Amanda Serrano in a fight for the ages in Arlington Texas in November; Ciara Mageean who won the 1500m final at the European Athletics Championships; swimmers Róisín Ní Riain and Mona McSharry for their exploits in the pool and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh who captained Kerry to All-Ireland glory.

The Sports Editor of The Irish Times Noel O’Reilly paid tribute to all the 2024 winners.“Twenty years ago, when the Sportswoman of the Year awards were launched, we could scarcely have imagined how high the bar would be raised.

“Each year soaring new standards continue to be set by Irish sportswomen, inspiring and challenging those who will come after them.

“It’s been a thrill and a pleasure for us to report on their feats. A scroll through our list of overall winners is a reminder of just how many magical days they have given us, and a memorable 2024 has proved to be an exceptional year on so many fronts.

“A huge congratulations to all the monthly winners, sportswomen whose stories continue to show the next generation that nothing is impossible. Here's to another 20 years of excellence, and many more magical moments.”

Sport Ireland CEO, Dr Úna May said 2024 had been a year of fantastic accomplishment for our sportswomen.

“Our female athletes continue to demonstrate that with dedication, ambition, and determination, the extraordinary is possible.

“The diversity of sports being celebrated at these Awards highlights the incredible breadth of talent right across the nation.

“To all who stand behind these athletes — coaches, families, volunteers, clubs, and communities — your unwavering support is instrumental in these achievements, and we extend our gratitude to you all.”

The first winner of The Irish Times Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Award back in 2004 was jockey Cathy Gannon.

Boxer Katie Taylor has won the overall award a record five times and has been a monthly award winner 18 times.

Besides Kellie Harrington, the only other double award winner is Cork camogie and Gaelic football player Briege Corkery.

For more information about the Awards go to https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sportswoman-of-the-year-award/