New president John Twomey with Finn Lynch, Irish Sailor of the Year, and Annalise Murphy, recipient of the President’s Award to mark the end of her Olympic sailing career at Irish Sailing’s recent AGM.

'It's an honour'

A Kinsale-based sailor has been elected as President of Irish Sailing at its recent AGM.

Irish Paralympic sailor John Twomey represented Ireland at 11 Paralympic games, in both sailing and athletics competing in the discus event, in which he won a gold medal in Seoul in 1988. John sustained a spinal cord injury at 14 and went on to a very successful accounting and sporting career.

John is also Chairman of Spinal Injuries Ireland which is the only agency that provides a pathway of care for newly injured patients and their families.

He said: “It's an honour to serve as president for a sport that has given me so much and I look forward to implementing the goals set out in the 2020/2025 Strategic Plan and growing the sport in the community.”