McKenna lands superb silver at German National Games

JACOB McKenna returned home from the 2022 Special Olympics German National Games in Berlin with a silver medal.

One of 11 Team Ireland athletes who contested the competition, the Tallaght man served up a brilliant performance to finish second in the D3 Open Water 1500m Swimming event with compatriot, Eoin O’Connell, of D6 Special Olympics Club, third in the same division.

McKenna, who trains with Vikings Swimmers Special Olympics Club and Templeogue Swimming Club, clocked a time of 32:52 as he finished just behind winner Kai Juergen Poenisch.

“We’re all just so proud of him” said McKenna’s Vikings Swimming Club coach, Eileen Conway.

“He did his family proud and he did Vikings Swimming Club, Templeogue Swimming Club and Ireland proud too. “It was great that he got to have this experience.

It was a very big event with an opening ceremony, the torch being lit and the athletes’ and coaches’ oaths being read out. It was just a very moving experience” she added.

Team Ireland certainly enjoyed a great return from the open water competition among other events at the German National Games with Edel Armstrong striking gold while Aisling Beacom just missed out on the podium despite a great display.

McKenna and other Irish swimmers will now be turning their attention to the upcoming regional games in which they will aim to secure a chance at selection for next year’s Special Olympics World Games back in Berlin.

The regional games for open water will take place in Portmarnock in August, while those for pool swimming will be held in Blackrock in November.