New Officer for Elite Sports Development at NUI Galway

Feb 16 2009 Posted: 00:00 GMT
(Leagan Gaeilge) NUI Galway is pleased to announce the appointment of former Irish Olympian, Gary Ryan as Sports Development Officer – Elite. This new role within the Sports and Recreation Unit of the University will provide support and assistance to individual elite performers and implement performance development programmes, support services such as sports science, strength and conditioning, and nutrition will also be offered. Gary Ryan is a former multiple Irish sprint record holder who represented Ireland at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games. He won a bronze medal for the 4x400m relay at the World Indoor Championships in 2004, as well as numerous Irish titles. Gary has for the past three years been the Director of Coaching for the Athletics Association of Ireland where he was responsible for the development of Coach Education and the high performance Junior and Youth achiever program, which is preparing athletes for the 2012 and beyond Olympic Games. Speaking about his appointment, Gary Ryan, said: "There is huge potential across a broad range of sports at NUI Galway and I look forward to playing a role in helping the elite sportspeople in the University reach their maximum potential, and achieve success nationally and internationally". NUI Galway has evolved into a modern centre for sporting excellence. The University has a state of the art Sports Centre which includes a 25m swimming pool, an elite performance gym and an international basketball arena as well as a number of external facilities. It has a sports development programme for elite athletes, a sports scholarship scheme and a growing academic portfolio of courses including the Sports and Exercise Engineering Degree Course. President of NUI Galway, Dr James J. Browne, said: "We are delighted to welcome Gary to this new post of Sports Development Officer - Elite. Here at NUI Galway we have recently invested very significantly in our sports infrastructure and this appointment is further proof of the University s commitment to supporting sport on campus, by providing dedicated resources to assist our elite athletes". Originally from Kilcommon, County Tipperary, Gary is a graduate of Waterford IT and the University of Limerick with an MSc in Sports Biomechanics.
Oifigeach Nua d'Fhorbairt Spórt Éilíte in OÉ Gaillimh
(View in English) Cúis áthais do OÉ Gaillimh a fhógairt go bhfuil an t-iar-lúthchleasaí Oilimpeach Éireannach, Gary Ryan ceaptha mar Oifigeach Forbartha Spóirt – Éilít. Is in Aonad Spóirt agus Áineasa na hOllscoile a bheidh Gary ag obair agus beidh sé de dhualgas air tacaíocht agus cúnamh a thabhairt do mhic léinn atá dírithe ar spóirt éagsúla agus cláir forbartha gníomhaíochta a chur i bhfeidhm. Chomh maith leis sin, beidh sé de dhualgas air seirbhísí tacaíochta cosúil le heolaíocht spóirt a sholáthar, treoracha a thabhairt maidir le láidreacht agus le cleachtadh, agus noda maidir le dea-chothú. Iar-ilchuradh rásaíochta ráibe na hÉireann é Gary Ryan agus rinne sé ionadaíocht thar ceann na hÉireann ag na Cluichí Oilimpeacha in Atlanta agus i Sydney. Bhuaigh sé bonn cré-umha sa rás sealaíochta 4x400m ag an gComórtas Domhanda faoi dhíon in 2004, mar aon le roinnt comórtas anseo in Éirinn. Le trí bliana anuas tá Gary ag obair mar Stiúrthóir Oiliúna do Chumann Lúthchleasaíochta na hÉireann. I measc na bhfreagrachtaí a bhí air bhí Oideachas Oiliúna a fhorbairt mar aon le clár gnóthachtála ardghníomhaíochta na Sóisear agus na nÓg, clár atá dírithe ar lúthchleasaithe a ullmhú do Chluichí Oilimpeacha 2012 agus na cluichí a bheidh ar siúl ina dhiaidh sin go deimhin. Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Gary Ryan faoina cheapachán: "Is léir go bhfuil go leor deiseanna forbartha ann i gcineálacha éagsúla spóirt in OÉ Gaillimh agus táim ag tnúth le ról lárnach a bheith agam i gcabhrú leis an spórt éilíte a chur chun cinn san ollscoil ionas gur féidir leis na mic léinn dul chun cinn a dhéanamh, agus aitheantas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta a bhaint amach dóibh féin". Tá fás agus forbairt tagtha ar chúrsaí spóirt in OÉ Gaillimh in imeacht na mblianta agus tá ionad nua-aimseartha don fheabhas spóirt cruthaithe san ollscoil anois. Tá Ionad Spóirt den scoth san Ollscoil anois lena n-áirítear linn snámha 25 méadar, giomnáisiam den chéad scoth agus cúirt cispheile idirnáisiúnta mar aon le roinnt áiseanna seachtracha. Tá clár forbartha spóirt do lúthchleasaithe éilíte, le cois scéim scoláireachtaí spóirt agus portfóilió acadúil cúrsaí lena n-áirítear Céim sa Spóirt agus san Innealtóireacht Aclaíochta bunaithe san Ollscoil. Dúirt an Dr James Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: "Cúis áthais dúinn fáilte chroíúil a chur roimh Gary mar Oifigeach Forbartha Spóirt Éilíte. Tá go leor airgid infheistithe againn anseo in OÉ Gaillimh in acmhainní spóirt agus dearbhú eile fós é an ceapachán seo ar thiomantas na hOllscoile tacú le cúrsaí spóirt go ginearálta ar an gcampas, trí acmhainní ar leith a sholáthar dár lúthchleasaithe éilíte". Fear de bhunadh Chill Chuimín, Co. Thiobraid Árann é Gary ó dhúchas. D'fhreastail sé ar Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Phort Láirge agus bhronn Ollscoil Luimnigh MSc i mBithmheicnic Spóirt air.
-Críoch-

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