AS THE World Championship handball players flew into Dublin Airport from Canada on Monday, Paul Brady made an unexpected announcement. He revealed he would not defend the Men's Open title in three years' time.
It is possibly not a major shock since he will celebrate his 36th birthday next month, but it will seem strange that the determined Cavan man will not be around to aim for an extension of his record five titles. Brady wrote his name into the history books once again last Friday night when he retained the title for a fifth time and rubber stamped his tag as the greatest handballer ever.
“It feels incredible to be coming back home as the World champion,” said Brady.
“The pressure is off me now and there’s going to be a new world champion in three years' time. I won't defend the Men's Open title next time. I’ve had to handle pressure for the past 12 years – you get used to it. It becomes your companion. But I’ve had a target on my back and winning this one is special because it took a lot of consideration about whether or not to compete for it.
“I can tell you now I’m definitely glad that I did,” he added.
Even the players he defeated on the way to his record fifth crown in Calgary will not grudge the fact the Cavan man decided to have another go. It is true to say he is a handball legend in his own time, far surpassing any deeds those before him achieved. Since his school days he has been a top handballer and, for many years, combined the sport with football, winning two Cavan SFC medals with Mullahoran and also competing at county level.
Aisling Reilly, too, had a lot to smile about on her return home as she brought back two gold medals, having won the Women's Singles and Doubles, in tandem with Limerick's Martina McMahon. Unlike Brady, there are unlikely to be any thoughts in Reilly's head about not defending her titles in three years' time.
As the players returned with bagfuls of gold and silver medals, they were met by hundreds of enthusiastic and appreciative supporters, including GAA dignitaries and, of course, family members. Ireland had the largest number of competitors from any country in the world, competing in the 100-plus competitions at the University of Calgary and they dominated the 40x20 grades, with only a small number of events in which an Irish player wasn't either winner or runner-up.
While US players took the bulk of the adult One-Wall Championships, the underage grades were also dominated by the Irish teenagers. When the World Championships are staged in 2018, it seems certain Irish players will again be the favourites to bring back a haul of medals.
