Local Paralympian pleads for return of stolen adapted car
By Echo Reporter
Paralympian athlete and Lucan resident John McCarthy has pleaded with thieves who stole his specially adapted car to return it.
The black Audi A6 car, registration 12-C-11586, was stolen from outside his home sometime in the early hours of this morning.
The robbers broke into the home of the three-time Paralympian and stole the keys, leaving everything else untouched, before they made off in the vehicle.
Speaking to the Echo, John said: “My life is based around that car. I am a wheelchair user and the car is specially adapted with hand controls to allow me to drive it.
“I need the car to go the work, to train, and it really could not have come at a worse time as I’m currently training to qualify for the Paralympics in Rio later this year.”
Speaking on the Ray Darcy show this afternoon John said he had been preparing for a qualifying race in the UK next weekend, and that he will still try and make it if he can, but at this time it is unclear whether or not he can go.
Originally from Cork, John represented Ireland at the last three Paralympics in Athens in 2004 where he won a silver in the discus, in Beijing in 2008, and in London where he reached the final of the 100m wheelchair sprint and finished seventh in his discipline.
Anyone with any information can contact Ronanstown Garda station on 01-6667700.
