Katie O'Brien and Tiarnán O'Donnell relishing Paralympic debuts after almost missing out on Paris
"A few weeks ago I wasn't sure that I'd make it to the start line," said world champion Irish para rower O'Brien
by Michael Scully · Irish MirrorIt is only a few weeks since Katie O'Brien feared that she wouldn't make it to the start line in her first Paralympics.
A tough year with injury had taken a toll and, in more recent times, a back issue left O'Brien contemplating having to pull out.
It would have been a heartbreaking outcome, considering it was watching the London Paralympics that inspired her to make her own journey to the Games.
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But O'Brien will be there in Vaires-sur-Marnes on Friday, alongside her lightweight sculls partner Tiarnán O'Donnell, ready to take on the course that was conquered by their Team Ireland colleagues and training partners Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
"I just think that perspective is really an amazing thing," said the 28-year-old, speaking in Milan at the end of an intense training camp before heading to Paris on Sunday.
"A few weeks ago I wasn't sure that I'd make it to the start line, and I can hand on heart say that this training camp has been one of the most enjoyable training camps of my life.
"That comes out of perspective and just with every single stroke I feel lucky to be in the boat, lucky to be in the position that I'm in and feel lucky to be representing such an amazing country.
"Having gone through the struggle of injury and the struggle of wondering if I'd get there or not, and now being confident in what we can do, it's just setting me up that there's no such thing as failure.
"This is going to be amazing, no matter what the result is.
"Whether we're dead last or we're first across that finish line, both myself and Tiarnán can hand on heart say that we've enjoyed the process of getting there and on the day we can say that we've done absolutely everything that we could have to put our best foot forward."
O'Brien, who has spina bifida, says that her back is "holding up" thanks to the physio she has received that enabled her to gain back the movement she needed to training and a regime that, in Milan, saw her go straight to bed in between sessions.
Her confidence about what this new partnership can achieve has flooded back as a result.
"I guess just getting to a position of just getting to a level of pain that's compatible with training," said the Galwegian.
"I had been out of the boat for a while and we're a scratch double, but now we have a bit of work behind us and know what we're capable of, we can let the excitement creep in and start to really enjoy it."
While this is the culmination of a 12-year mission for O'Brien, O'Donnell was a wheelchair basketball player before coming to rowing late.
And it was very late in the process that the Limerick man learned he was being selected in the boat ahead of Steven McGowan, who had earned qualification with O'Brien by finishing fifth in the World Championships last September.
It came down to training and race times over the last 12 months, and a final trial when they went head to head.
"Steven has driven me on all season," explained O'Donnell, who is a right leg amputee. "We both drove each other on, right until the selection was made.
"Together we just wanted the fastest boat possible for the team and as a result in every training session we were egging each other on, dragging each other through it and making sure we made the most of it.
"Obviously finding out really late, I was delighted with my selection but there are so many people to thank for getting me to this position, of course, and Steven is at the very top of that list.
"He dragged me through so many sessions - he was supposed to be my competitor but he was such an ally the whole way through training.
"So myself and Katie, we're doing it for us but we're doing it for Steve as well - he's as much in the boat as I am, which is something I'll hold to me at the start line.
"There was so little in it between us. Of course I got the nod and I got the honour of representing Ireland but Steven was so, so close and hopefully we'll battle it out for the next cycle and get an even faster boat going."
Watching their Team Ireland colleagues in action in the Olympics just a few weeks ago has provided inspiration, while both have been getting tips from their team-mates about how to tackle the course.
"Yes, we're at the Games and there will be a lot of family and friends, people in the stands and an extra bit of anticipation," said O'Donnell.
"But once we hit the course and get into our warm-up it's the same as we do every Sunday when we're back in Ireland, when we race against Paul and Fintan, who are the best lightweight double in the world, Daire (Lynch) and Phil (Doyle), who are obviously on the best heavyweight crews in the world and also the women's four.
"So we race against some of the best in the world, it's actually quite a familiar feeling and it's something we'll take comfort from on the starting line in Paris."
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