Around 30 athletes - all on the Paralympics Ireland Panel set up to bring together the country's best hopes for the Games - from six sports are in Limerick for the camp.

As well as training together, they will have a chance to see what is available for them to improve their competitiveness - from sports science and medical offerings, to physiotherapy and nutrition advice.

London 2012 medallists Darragh McDonald, Orla Barry and Catherine O'Neill are all at the camp, alongside emerging athletes like canoeist Patrick O'Leary.

The camp, in its third of four days, is also seeing Paralympic hopefuls from cycling, table tennis and swimming take part under Paralympics Ireland's new Fast Track Programme.

It gives ring-fenced support for promising athletes who have emerged from the post London 2012 talent search.

Swimmer Darragh McDonald is one of the athletes at the training camp as preparations for Rio 2016 gather pace ©Getty Images



"This is our first engagement of the Rio Games cycle as one entity," said Paralympics Ireland performance manager Dave Malone.

"Whilst the athletes are pursuing their own performance programmes daily, and in camp regularly within their own sports, it is always extremely beneficial to bring the sports together to train and access the variety of performance services available.

"It's set to be another busy year with a European or World Championships as the focus for the majority of athletes so it's great to come together before everyone moves into their competition phases."

A delegation from Paralympics Ireland is due to travel to the Brazilian city of Uberlandia in May - the chosen location for the pre-Games holding camp - to progress arrangements.

A team development conference for the 45 Paralympics Ireland Panel members and support staff is scheduled to be held in November.

Ireland won 16 medals at the London 2012 Paralympics, eight gold, three silver and five bronze.

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