The Special Olympics Ireland Games drew to a close yesterday after four days of competition and elation in Belfast and Antrim. Mary Davis, the chief executive of Special Olympics Ireland, said the games, which were being held outside Dublin for the first time, were a resounding success.
"We got great support from families and all the organisations we were dealing with here in the north. It's brilliant to see all the athletes and how proud their families are."
About 2,000 athletes took part in sports from bowling to basketball, cheered on by about 5,000 of their nearest and dearest and helped by 5,000 volunteers.
Before closing ceremonies at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast and the Antrim Forum, there were still ribbons and medals to be won. Cheering on the athletes in Antrim yesterday morning was triple gold medallist Vicky Doherty from Dublin. Vicky (27) won her three golds - and a bronze and a silver - at rhythmic gymnastics. And where will she display her haul? "Anywhere. My mam is going to get me a rack for my medals."
In Queen's University's physical education centre, Aisling Beacom from Bray, Co Wicklow, the athletes' representative on the board of Special Olympics Ireland, was taking part in the 1,500m swim.
Because she was the only swimmer in the division, she was competing against herself - but that did not diminish her will to succeed. She shaved two minutes off her best time to the cheers and shouts of supporters in the gallery.
"The crowd was absolutely fantastic," a Special Olympics official said. "We had music playing to keep her going. She had about 60 lengths to swim in half an hour.
"When we knew she had only two laps left, the noise of cheering and encouragement in the crowd was amazing. At the end, she got a standing ovation. She has a gold medal now and she thoroughly deserves it."
Susan Murray and Rita Lawlor were volunteers in the Antrim Forum. Susan, who enjoys 10-pin bowling, gymnastics and swimming, loved the Belfast experience "absolutely. It was the trip of a lifetime plus hard work at the same time."
She first got involved at the 2003 World Games in Dublin. "I was all emotional, especially at the closing ceremony when the torchlight was put out. I thought it was the end, but it was only really the beginning. I'm much more involved with my sports and my volunteering and everything. It's great."
Rita said: "People think that when the games are over it's the end of it but . . . Special Olympics is not just about the World Games or the Ireland Games, it's an all-round competition for sports at different levels in people's own areas.
"They run clubs all year round to help people with learning disabilities and give them the good confidence they have now with their performance."