25/08/2008

NI Olympic Medal Winners Return

As Olympic medal-winning Belfast boxer Paddy Barnes leaves China for his return to Dublin tomorrow - as part of the Irish team - fellow Ulster-born silver medallist Wendy Houvenaghel arrived back in the UK today as part of the successful Great Britain Olympics team.

The Co. Londonderry cyclist was part of the triumphant team which won a total of 47 medals in Beijing, making it the most memorable games for almost a century.

Houvenaghel - who won her medal in the individual pursuit behind fellow Briton Rebbeca Romero - joined team members on a special plane featuring an appropriate gold 'nose', which landed at Heathrow Airport this afternoon.

The team is then expected to attend a special homecoming reception at Downing Street in advance of a 'victory parade' expected to take place in October to mark the achievements of the Great Britain team.

Meanwhile, Holy Trinity club member Paddy Barnes, who won a bronze medal on Friday after a controversial semi-final bout with eventual winner, China's Zou Shiming, will shortly set off for his own return journey to Ireland.

He has mixed emotions as in the immediate aftermath of the fight, the Belfast man dismissed his bronze medal achievements but enjoyed his moment on the podium in Beijing on Sunday.

Barnes had been highly critical of Chinese judges who failed to award him a single point in his 15-0 defeat.

See: Olympic Medal Bouts Hot Up

(BMcC)

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