Golden girl Bethany Firth is back home in County Down and has been welcomed at the George Best City Airport on her arrival by Sports Minister Paul Givan to Northern Ireland after her historic performance in Rio in the 2016 Paralympics breaking two swimming records and achieving six special olympic records.
Bethany Firth who lives in Comber topped the medal table in Rio, with three golds and one silver, becoming Team GB’s most successful medal winner.
Speaking at Belfast City Airport, the Minister said: “I am delighted to welcome Bethany home. What a fantastic achievement this is. To come home from Rio with four medals, three of which are gold, is just phenomenal and it proves once again that Northern Ireland’s home bred athletes are amongst the best in the world.
“As Minister responsible for sport, I greatly value the vital role that sport plays in contributing to peoples’ health and well being. I fully believe that people of all abilities can benefit from sport.
“Bethany is a fine role model for other young people who wish to become involved in competitive swimming. Bethany actively demonstrates what can be achieved with dedication and training, and is a genuine encouragement to countless other people.”
Bethany Firth, tired after her long flight from Rio via London, was overawed by her welcome and said: “I’m so grateful to everyone for this welcome. People here have been so supportive. That is exactly what I needed. This brought a bit of Northern Ireland to Rio.
“I just hope that I’m inspiring others to get involved in sport. Swimming is a great sport to get into and since I started I’ve really met a lot of people. I can’t wait to get working again with my coaches and see where I can go from here.”
(Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker.)
Down News Spoke to some of those at the City Airport who had supported Bethany in her journey to success in Rio in recent years. Jerome Starrs, Bethany’s PE coach at Longstone Special School, said she was a “lovely young lady” and that when they first tried to coax her into the pool she was quite reluctant to want to learn to swim. He added: “But very quickly, Bethany took to swimming like a duck to water and showed a rare talent from very early on.
“She entered into a swimming event organised by Disability NI and she won it and was delighted with herself. From then she started to compete and found out she was quite talented in swimming, so worked harder at it. She really has an amazing talent.
“Bethany was head girl at Longstone. She was just 16 when she won her first gold medal and that spurred her on even further. I’m sure she will win a few more medals yet. She is still quite young.”
Davy Johnston of the Ards Swimmers also was over the moon at Bethany’s achievements and said: “Bethany trained every day for four years except Saturday in the Ards pool. She was absolutely dedicated and her coach Nelson Lindsay who went to Rio with her knew she has a rare talent for swimming and kept her focussed on her goals to win in Rio.
“Her training was quite arduous involving practising short and long sets and working on stamina and strength and condition. We are delighted to see Bethany come back with a clutch of medals. We are just so proud of her.
“She was very athletic from the start and was terrific in athletics and other sports she applied herself too. She is a terrific role model for all the pupils at our school and far beyond.”
And members of the Comber Baptist Church which Bethany attends also spoke very highly of her. Church elder Alfie Gibson said: “Bethany’s father Peter Firth was the pastor there previously. We are certainly proud of her achievements in Rio. She is a great girl and for her to come back with four medals is just a blessing from God.
“Bethany has been very successful and we’re sure there is much more to come.”
Orla O’Rourke, a physiotherapist on the Sports Institute team, also praised Bethany and said: “Our team of eight specialists provided a range of support for Bethany in her drive to the Paralympics and we are just so pleased that she has come home with four fantastic medals. That is what dreams are made of.
“The Sports Institute provides help in areas such as physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, nutrition, analysis and science. Bethany has had our full attention and it has certainly helped her to the top.”
Tutor can talk about SERC Elite Athlete programme that was launched earlier this year to help students get their qualification alongside their sporting commitments.
Bethany’s tutor Lynda Robinson and SERC colleagues, were just some of the people awaiting the Paralympian’s airport arrival. SERC fans wore their SERC branded T-shirts holding a large banner with a welcome home message. Bethany couldn’t hide her delight as she walked into the arrivals area of the George Best City Airport and into the arms of friends waiting to greet her earlier this afternoon.
SERC Assistant Head of School for Applied Science and Sport Lynda Robinson said: “Bethany has represented herself, her family and SERC excellently. What she has accomplished is an incredible personal achievement and this is only the beginning of a fabulous career for her! It is very hard not to burst with pride.
“To get to this stage has required a huge amount of dedication, focus and sacrifices. On behalf of SERC I would like to congratulate her on her remarkable achievement. SERC fresher’s can look up to how she has dealt with the fame and she is a fantastic role model for the College.”
SERC recently affirmed their commitment to supporting their student-athletes earlier this year when rugby legend Stephen Ferris launched their Elite Athlete Programme, designed to provide aspiring elite athletes with the support they need to achieve both academic and sporting excellence.
Lynda added: “We know the commitment that is required to compete at a high level and we recognise that elite sporting activity can impact on a student-athlete’s ability to reach their full academic potential.
“The programme has been set up specifically to support elite and emerging athletes in achieving academic success by supporting them with flexible study assistance during their studies and sporting endeavours. It is hoped that the programme will educate, inspire, and empower student athletes to complete their education whilst also following their ambition. It’s our vision that every student leaving SERC will be inspired to achieve both academic and sporting excellence.”
The College is planning an official homecoming celebration for Bethany next month to give staff, students and fans the opportunity to mark her success and pay their own tribute to her.
