On the 15th January the Irish Athletics Team under Head of Paralympic Athletics and two time Olympian, James Nolan, travelled to Christchurch in New Zealand to compete at the IPC World Athletics Championships. The team of eight athletes, included vision impaired athletes from Irish Blindsport, Aislish Dunne, Mountmellick, Co. Laois and Nadine Lattimore from Clontarf, Dublin. Some had represented Ireland at Paralympic level previously but some were world championship debutants. Fintan O’Donnell, (vision impaired) from Ennis, Co. Clare was the team physiotherapist. Unfortunately, Beijing Double
Paralympic & World Champion, Jason Smyth was unable to attend due to injury.

The Championships were held from 21st – 30th January 2011 at the athletics stadium in QEII Park. Over 1000 athletes from 70 countries competed in this last major athletics championships before the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The Irish team got off to a dream start with New Ross native, Catherine Wayland taking the silver medal in the club throw competition, F51 Class. The success for Irish athletes continued with Beijing Gold medallist Michael McKillop setting a new World record in the 1500m, T37 class. However, Irish athletics also achieved another milestone with both Nadine Lattimore and Aislish Dunne making their World Championship debuts in the F11 Shot Putt final. Ailish Dunne produced a very consistent sequence of throws but saved her best until last where she produced her best throw of the day, achieving 6.62 meters to finish in sixth place overall. Ailish was disappointed not to achieve a personal best performance, but will build on this performance for the London Paralympic Games. Nadine Lattimore produced her best throw of the competition with her first attempt. This throw of 6.12 meters put her in 7th position overall. The competition was eventually won by Chinese athlete Liangmin Zhang in a new Championship record of 9.61 meters. The successes of Irish Paralympic Athletes can be followed at:
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