Paralympics 2024: Galway's Unexpected Paralympic Powerhouse & a Tattoo Ban You Won't Believe

Ma Lin will be a name familiar to those who have followed table tennis at the Paralympics over the years. The now 34-year-old made his debut in 2008 when he won gold for his native China, going on to collect three more at London 2012 and Rio 2016. He then moved to Australia and represented the country in Tokyo, adding a silver to his collection. And he’s back again in Paris.

The story behind how he lost his right arm is, well, extraordinary. When he was five years old, he used to visit a zoo near his home in China where he regularly fed one particular brown bear. You know what’s coming next.

“I thought he was my friend because I used to go to the zoo every week to feed him,” he told the Telegraph a while back. “So, I just decided to reach out and pat him.” The bear bit clean through his arm, Lin almost dying from the loss of blood. What was left of his arm had to be amputated. “I guess he was not in a good mood that day,” he said.

The Rise of Galway's Paralympic Powerhouse

Cycling’s Richael Timothy, Ronan Grimes and Eoin Mullen, rowing’s Katie O’Brien, athletics’ Shauna Bocquet and equestrian’s Sarah Slattery. What have they in common, apart from all being 2024 Paralympians? Hint: Respectively, they’re from Ballymoe, Athenry, Inis Mór, Clarinbridge, Craughwell and Tynagh.

So, that means that Galway has contributed 17 per cent of our Paralympics team, when it accounts for just five-ish per cent of the population. Only Derry and Dublin come close, with four representatives each, 14 counties with none at all.

If you hear The Saw Doctors’ N17 ringing around Paris over the next 11 days, now you know why.

The Controversial Tattoo Ban

It’s common enough for Olympians and Paralympians to get a tattoo of the five rings, but while this was perfectly fine for the former, it was less so for the latter – because if one was visible on their bodies while competing at the Paralympics, they could face penalties up to and including disqualification. Seriously.

This was because the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), as opposed to the International Olympic Committee, banned such tattoos because they classified them as “body advertising”. All this resulted in Paralympians who were unaware of the rule having to either have their tattoos (painfully) removed, or covered up with permanent ink.

The good news? The ban has been lifted, although the IPC didn’t explain why. It might just have been down to embarrassment.

A Legacy of Sporting Excellence

It was 14 years ago when the Republic of Ireland girls’ under-15 team won the Bob Docherty Cup in Glasgow by beating Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Why are we mentioning this? Well, have a look at some of the names in the squad. Current senior internationals Katie McCabe (you might have heard of her), Amber Barrett and Chloe Mustaki, Mayo Gaelic footballers Sarah Rowe and Niamh Kelly, both now playing Aussie Rules down under, and Cork camogie legend Amy O’Connor, who recently helped herself to her fifth senior All-Ireland medal. And Richael Timothy – who is in cycling action in Paris this week. Some list, that.