My friend Fiona has been playing this sport for six months now, but she has already

become an
expert in it. She plays it in her new four-wheel power chair. With the support of her family and the
coach, she has not missed one game this year. Powerchair football has not been included in the
Paralympic Games yet, but a lot of competitions are held in Northern Ireland. Fionaʼs club has
received an invitation to compete at an international powerchair-football festival next spring!
Unfortunately, she canʼt go: her doctors havenʼt given her permission to compete until she recovers
from an injury she suffered last week. She is very sad about it. Weʼll cheer her up, though: weʼll buy
her a nice seat belt so that she is fully equipped once she feels better. 

The second sport I’m going to talk about is Roisin and Orla’s sport. They haven't claimed any medals
yet. They haven’t even set any ambitious goals for this year. They just enjoy being active. Orla is
visually impaired, so Roisin is the pilot in the team. They put on their helmets and their gloves, and
enjoy the ride on their tandem bike. Tandem cycling for the blind and visually impaired is quite
popular in Northern Ireland. I am thinking of volunteering as a tandem pilot, too. I like being out in
the fresh air and doing sports with friends. I have already talked about this with Roisin and Orla’s
coach, now I just need to ask my mum for permission.

Finally, there’s Maurice and his sport. He hasn’t become a full member of the club yet, so that’s why
he hasn’t played any games yet. He can’t wait to start. He has already bought almost all the
equipment: a hurling stick, a set of practice balls and a helmet. He hasn’t bought the gloves yet. He’d
like to buy a pair of really good ones, with protective ribs on the back of the hand. In my opinion, he
has made a very brave decision. Hurling is one of the most popular sports in Northern Ireland, but it’s
also one of the most dangerous sports in the world. The ball, called a sliotar, can travel at over 150
km/h. I wouldn’t dare to try it!

CONNECT:

tandem cycling paddle, lifebelt

hurling bike, helmet

kayaking bow, arrow

badminton sliotar, stick

archery shuttlecock, racket

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