Olympic Games:Gymnast Kieran Behan became the latest Irish athlete to earn a ticket to next summer's Olympic Games after securing 34th position at the London Prepares test event on Tuesday night.
The 22-year-old Surrey-based athlete placed sixth in the floor discipline at the North Greenwich arena, but had to wait until yesterday to find out that it was good enough to earn a place in Olympics.
Behan revealed he was in a state of shock when he discovered he was only the second gymnast to represent Ireland at a summer Games after Barry McDonald competed at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
“I was just jumping around the room crying my eyes out. I was just so chuffed. It really is a dream come true,” said Behan, who has battled back from several serious health setbacks to realise his goal.
A non-cancerous tumour was discovered on his leg when he was 10 years old, with complications arising in the operation to remove it leaving him in a wheelchair.
Remarkably, Behan recovered, and 15 months later he was back in the gym, only for a freak training accident to leave him with brain damage.
Behan, then aged 12, slipped while working on the high bar causing the back of his head to land on the apparatus, which damaged his inner ear and caused him to black out with any sudden movement.
It meant he had to relearn how to do simple things such as sitting and how to move his head and left him unable to train for three years.
After a great deal of rehabilitation and support from his family and friends, Behan returned to the gym and gained several youth accolades, but a double injury blow ruled him out until the end of 2010 after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligaments in both of his knees in separate incidents.
However, World Cup series success last year and a solid performance at the World Championships in Tokyo earned him the chance to qualify at the test event, which he duly took.
“To think years and years ago I was told ‘you’re never going to be able to walk again let alone do gymnastics’ to find out I’m going to the Olympic Games is something that dreams are made of,” added Behan.
“To come from all that and everything that’s happened with injuries I’ve got the luck of the Irish on my side most definitely.
“I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for my friends and family and coaches and everyone who has stuck around and been there supporting me.”
And Behan, who will compete in tomorrow’s floor final at the test event, is already focusing on what he needs to do ahead of the Games.
“I’m going to try and max out my speciality piece which is my floor,” he said. “I’ve definitely got the execution I just need a little bit more on my start value now and that would be the main objective for 2012.
“It’s going to be fantastic to represent Ireland and do six pieces at the Olympic Games. It is what dreams are made of.”