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UCC wishes Mary Fitzgerald good luck at the Paralympic Games
As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games begin this week, all at UCC extends our best wishes to Mary Fitzgerald as she competes on the world stage once again.
Mary will compete in the F40 Shot Put final on Saturday, September 7 at 10:35am Irish time.
Mary graduated from UCC in 2022 with a degree in Occupational Therapy, and was a member of the Quercus Talented Students' Programme. She represented UCC with distinction in track & field Intervarsity events throughout her time here, and her dedication and skill were further recognized when she was presented with a UCC Sports Star Award in 2022.
A Kilkenny native and member of Gowran Athletics Club, Mary has competed in the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai and Paris, as well as at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, where she finished seventh in shot put. In June 2021, she won a bronze medal at the Para Athletics European Championships. Most recently, Mary set a new personal best with a throw of 8.87m at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium in Loughborough, adding over half a meter to her previous record.
UCC President, Prof. John O'Halloran, said: "Mary Fitzgerald is an outstanding example of perseverance, talent, and dedication. We are incredibly proud to have her as a UCC alumna, and we will be cheering her on in Paris. Mary’s achievements on the global stage are a testament to her hard work and our values as a University."
Morgan Buckley, UCC Head of Sport and Physical Activity, said: "Mary's achievements in athletics, coupled with her career as a paediatric occupational therapist and her role as an ambassador for Enable Ireland show her to be a true role model. We wish her every success in Paris and know she will make us all proud."