Moyles on fast track to success

There could have been few prouder parents than John and Jillian Moyles as they watched their son, Damien, take the first steps towards emulating his sporting hero in Istanbul.

The 17-year-old bagged Ireland’s first medal of the European Para Youth Games with T13 100m silver at the Enka Athletics Track.

From such steps, Moyles could well go on to emulate Ireland’s legendary sprinter Jason Smyth who won six Paralympic Games gold medals, inclduing four in the T13 100m from Beijing in 2008 to Tokyo 13 years later.

And dad John has hailed the stimulus Para athletics has provided for their son and the opportunity the European Para Youth Games has given him of experiencing a multi-sport event.

“The EPYG have done a great job here,” said Moyles snr, who saw his son return to the track 24 hours later to win Ireland's first gold in the T13 400m . “They’ve put on a great event for everyone.

“Damien is visually impaired and socially it’s a huge thing for him to go to such an event and mix with people who are interested in the same things.

“It has been great for his confidence to get out and compete at an international level and meet people from other countries who are in the same situation.

Damien Moyles with proud parents Jillian and John

“It’s all very positive. We have seen the growth in Damien since he started.

We are very lucky Damien has found this sport.

“It has given him a great focus and discipline to have something to work towards. To be involved in competitive sport its huge for him and it’s made a massive difference to his life and our own.

“He didn’t know how much he missed it until he had it.”

Moyles, from County Mayo in the west of Ireland, tried out various team sports before being spotted by his athletics coach, Dermot McDermott, at a school sports event.

The teenager’s progress has been rapid with the hard work paying off in Istanbul with a personal best time of 11.86 seconds and that silver medal for his country.

“It feels great to get Ireland’s first medal,” said Moyles. “It’s great to get the chance to come out and compete here. It’s been a great competition and everything has been of such a high standard.

“The opening ceremony was surreal. I just want to thank everyone.”

Now his dream is to follow his countryman Smyth - for so long regarded as the fastest Paralympian on the planet.

“Jason is my hero,” added Moyles. “I’ve met him twice and it’s unbelievable to have someone from your country be the most decorated T13 athlete around.

“He is just such an inspiration. That man, the amount that he has achieved. If I could come anywhere close to him it would be amazing.

“The Paralympics are my dream. We will see about LA (Los Angeles, 2028), I have a few more years. I’m only young yet.

“But that’s the plan and Brisbane 2032.”

Moyles has relished the opportunity of competing at a multi-sport event like the EPYG - but just as importantly getting the chance to meet Para athletes from other sports and different countries.

He added: “Athletics is an individual sport but to have that multi-sport team environment is so good. Everyone is so supportive of each other. It is great.

“This is my first overseas event and it has been a learning curve in some respects.

“This is definitely a great first experience. If they are all this good, I’ll have had a good time.”