Stephen McNamara is recalling a conversation with an athlete who medalled at a previous Paralympic Games. There was the usual celebration at the airport, a victory party in the athlete’s home town, and two weeks of positive press. After that, however, reality returned. “He could not get a job,” McNamara tells me. “The medal only got him so far.” This is something which McNamara, who took over as chief executive of Paralympics Ireland in February 2023, is determined to help address. Over the coming weeks, 35 Irish athletes will compete across nine sports at the Paralympic Games. For many, it…
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