Katie George Dunlevy: ‘We delivered under pressure’ at Paris Paralympics

Katie George Dunlevy can hang her bike up with real satisfaction following her Paralympic silver joy in Paris. 

Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal won the silver medal in the women's B 3000m individual pursuit on Sunday. 

The Irish duo led the final by over a second at the halfway stage but they were pegged back in by British pair Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl.

Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal have won five Paralympic medals together and were racing together for the last time in France. 

“We did the race of our lives there to get that medal and we had to,” said Dunlevy, whose dad John is a native of Mountcharles 

“My dad is crying his eyes out. It makes me very grateful to see my parents cry, I don't see them cry very often.

“We were up against it and we delivered under pressure. I'm so proud of us both for doing that together. We have gone through some really tough times together. 

“You don't really go through that with anyone else, so we know what each other have gone through. 

“You know what each other gives and has given, and mentally and emotionally what you are going through together.

“We have a special bond we will have forever. Those memories and special moments like today, no one else will know what that feels like except me and Eve.

“We just had to fight, and we are both fighters. We have trained damn hard to get here. We finished our races and we got a medal. 

“I would never have thought that two months ago. Sometimes, you’ve to do more with your mental strength than with your body”.