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Campile native Patrick Shannon has been an active participant on the World skeleton scene for the last 4 years and his hard work, determination and 100% commitment to his dream paid off last weekend in Calgary, Canada. Patrick a former National triple jump champion and also a sub 11second 100m sprinter makes the long journey to eastern europe every winter with nothing but his jeep and radio for company. Its in eastern Europe he spends one month preparing for the skeleton season with his coach, nothing compared to the months the rest of the world circuit have to prepare for every season. Pats pre-season consists of a winter on Lacken Hill in Ballinaboola and Wexford racecourse, the athletics track in Waterford and Rosslare added to gym work and circuit training in the presentation gym in Wexford where he actively coaches and trains as part of the Menapians AC sprints and jumps squad.
Pats selection for the Olympics was down to a gamble he made on switching to the US and Canadian circuit instead of the European where he believed he could secure more points, enough to get him to Vancouver in 3 weeks. It was this decision that proved the gamble was right as in his last roll of dice he finished 14th in a competition that pushed his points up enough to secure his spot in Vancouver.
Pat has been an integral part of Menapians AC over the last 3 years since his move back to Wexford from Dublin where he spent most of the last 10 years as an athlete competing on the International stage for Ireland. He now coaches the junior/senior Menapian athletes with Shane McCormack, Mick McKeon and Jimmy ONeill between skeleton seasons and is an integral part of the clubs coaching set up after working with some of the countries top coaches in his illustrious career.
Everybody in Menapians will be glued to the TV screens in 3 weeks and we also wish him the best of luck in the European championships this week in St. Morritz, the birthplace of the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton. Follow the action on Eurosport or online here FIBT home page from Thursday. Everybody in Menapians AC and indeed across the county wish Pat all the best this week and in 3 weeks in Vancouver. What an acheivement, what an athlete. |
