Rathcormac’s Robbie Howard returned home from the UK National Down Syndrome competition last month with five gold medals, one bronze medal and the overall trophy as the national UK men’s senior champion.
Competing in the competition in Leicester as a member of the Owenabue gymnastics team, Robbie won gold in the floor, vault, rings, pommel and high bars. The 16-year-old also claimed a third-place finish on the parallel bars.
Overall, the 13-strong team representing Owenabue brought home 31 medals.
Owenabue club manager, Zelie Moran, said Robbie, who has been a member of the club since January 2010, performed excellently in the recent competition.
“As Robbie has reached the age of 16, he now has to compete with the seniors. This was a big jump for Robbie and he did his coach Liam O’Toole and assistant coach Adam, proud.”
During his time with Owenabue gymnastics, Robbie has represented Munster at the Special Olympics Ireland Games in 2014, travelled to Dorset in England for Special Olympics competitions in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In November, he travelled to Milan in Italy for the World Down Syndrome Championships.
“The countries competing at this event were Italy, USA, Greece, Mexico, Norway, U.K., Russia, South Africa and Ireland. The Owenabue team did extremely well at this competition and Robbie achieved the gold for pommel, silver for vault and rings and bronze for high bar and floor,” Ms Moran said.
Well done Robbie and continued success!
