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The 10th European Heart & Lung Transplant Games
(23rd - 27th July 2004)

A Review of The Dublin Games

The Opening of the Games

From the moment we arrived at Dublin airport to be chaperoned onto a shuttle bus to our luxurious 4* hotel, till we departed, the Irish were fabulous hosts.   They have a saying in Ireland ,"Céad mile fáilte" which means a hundred thousand welcomes.   Let me tell you,  they sell themselves short.

Malcolm Banks, chairman, and Terry Mangan, vice chairman, and all of their team were fantastic hosts, and in Terry's case not bad at golf either.

After settling into the Burlington Hotel, which was to be our home for the next 6 days, the first function we attended was the opening ceremony.   Unfortunately due to the poor weather the parade of athletes had to be cancelled so the formalities took place in the banqueting suite.

                              
          The Gals at the Gala Dinner         The Bravehearts         
(Click image to enlarge)

There were 18 countries represented at the games consisting of 500+ competitors and their supporters and everyone assembled to be entertained, fed, watered and hear the speeches.

The Irish President, Mary Macaleese welcomed us and spoke very movingly to the hushed gathering.   This was no politicians' speech written by script writers, these words were spoken by someone who cares and it was a very emotional address that had me, at least , wiping the tears from my cheeks.

As ever, the host country gains maximum publicity for the Games and the TV cameras were there to broadcast her words.    When the President left she took time out to be photographed by athletes in the audience and had kind words for lots of others.   Her exit took a good 10 minutes as the warmth of everyone towards her was obvious.

This was a wonderful start to the Games.  

Day 1 - Thursday

I had no competitive events on Day 1 but most of the golfers took the opportunity to play a practice round at Edmonstown Golf Club.   I played in the company of Krister Erlund from Finland and Jeanne-Claude Maudemaine  from France.   Between us we managed to have a good chat, and I can say without contradiction that my French was better than their Geordie.  

The course was good, unfortunately my golf was not.   Still it was only a practice day and I got to know my way around.   Probably more importantly, my wife Christine whom I affectionately call Mrs Boggy in these pages, also became familiar with the terrain.   After all she would be chauffeuring me around in a buggy tomorrow.

The draw had been made for the competition tomorrow and I was in the first group out with fellow Brit Howard Waters and Terry Mangan, chairman of the Irish Heart & Lung Federation.

Riverdance - We had to assemble at 7pm for our coaches which were to take us into Dublin city centre and a trip to the Gaiety Theatre for an evening of top class entertainment.   500 of us just about  filled the theatre for our own private performance and even the most heathen amongst us could not fail to be impressed by the sheer power, beauty and artistry of the show.

Some people chose to stay at the hotel and watch England fail to beat Portugal in a penalty shoot out at Euro 2004.   We got back to the hotel to see the climax (make that an anti-climax) of the penalties and I think the majority who went to the theatre made the wise decision.    Let's face it, we can watch England lose on penalties at most tournaments. 

Day 2 - Friday

Golf - Those of you who know and play golf regularly with me know that I never like to rush when there is a competition, so I was up at the crack of dawn and first into the breakfast room, and downstairs waiting for the coach to take us on a 45 minute journey.   I had been delegated team captain for the British squad and had to check everyone onto the bus and generally make sure everything was in apple pie order.

The bus was 7.30 for a 7.45am departure.   At 8pm we were still waiting for a 5 handicap Scotsman who, it turned out was still in his pit.   I was getting more agitated by the minute and as I was first to tee off at 9pm was inwardly (probably outwardly too) furious.   If it had been up to me we would have drove off at 7.47, I would have waited 2 minutes and that would have been that.

At 8.01 Terry Mangan, who was also playing in the first group remember, instructed the driver to go.   We got there, got changed,  I had a quick swish and a swoosh and that was it.  

"First on the tee,  representing Great Britain...Mr Graham Marsh".   As I was the low handicap in the group I had the honour of hitting the first shot of the competition.   I hit a beauty straight down the middle and a ripple of applause could be heard from the other golfers.   By the way, still no 5 handicap Scotsman

                                    The 3 Amigos (Click on the image)

I scored a point at least on every hole but could not putt.   My gross score was 87 giving me a nett 76, but only worth 29 stableford points.   An 18 handicap golfer from Ireland, Gerry Breen, scored an excellent 40 points to win the Gold medal. The reigning champion, Swede Borje Larsson was 2nd (35pts) and playing partner Terry Mangan came in third with 33 points.

No complaints, but for my woeful putting I would have had a good chance of second place but no way would I have scored 40.  

The golf course was in excellent condition and if your planning a visit to Dublin it is well worth a visit.   I have got a link to it on my 'golfing links' page.

Dinner & cabaret - we were wined and dined and entertained by the hotel's very own theatre company.   A very Irish night involving singing, dancing and a comedian.   For those of you who remember "The Good Old Days" which used to be on TV this was an Irish version and very professionally done.

I am not sure if half of the audience, who were non English speaking, could understand the quick fire Irish comic, but we were all falling about with laughter at  our table.

At about 10pm a couple of lady table tennis players introduced themselves to me and began asking for all sorts of information.   I had been delegated the job of team captain for tomorrow's competition as the GB team manager was attending the swimming gala.   The joys of office.

Day 3 - Saturday

Table tennis or to give it it's posh name ping pong, is a great way to maintain a modicum of fitness and it is also, or can be, a very competitive sport.   Along with badminton and swimming it is probably the most popular pastime for transplant recipients, other than walking.

Our coaches again departed at 7.45am to take us to the excellent Aer Lingus sports hall near Dublin airport.   Why we had to get there this early, we arrived at 8.20am, was a complete mystery.   The first match did not get under way till just before 10am.

Great Britain was well represented at the event, we had 18 entrants in all categories and by the time the last pong was pinged our medal tally was 4 Gold / 7 bronze and 6 silver medals.   An excellent but very slow day of sport

.The GB table tennis squad (well nearly all of us).Riveting game?

As acting captain I managed to make a formal protest, well I would wouldn't I?   The reason being that the organisers at the event insisted that a play off take place for third place instead of the customary awarding of a shared bronze medal.   When I queried this I was given as a reason that players were competing for points which went some way as to who might win the inaugural Geoff Finnegan Trophy.   Geoff was our team manager at previous Games but sadly died last year and in his honour a trophy is to be awarded bi-annually to the 'Old Boy' or 'Girl' who performs best in all racquet events at the Games.

Once I was given this information I was like a dog hanging onto a bone, there was no way I was giving up on this case.   At both the tennis and badminton the previous days, third place was shared and a bronze medal awarded to each player as well as a point towards the trophy.   It was therefore impossible not to do the same at table tennis, sorry ping pong.   After a few frantic calls by the event co-ordinator I was given the news that bronze medals would be awarded to both players.

Guess what?   I won a bronze medal.   I can honestly say that I was making a stand on behalf of others and I had offered to forgo my medal as a sign of good faith.

BBQ at Leopardstown Pavilion - Those of you who enjoy a flutter on the donkeys will be familiar with this location.   We arrived in a convoy of coaches on a gloriously sunny evening.   The food was good and the company excellent.   Mrs Boggy and I sat next to three Irish couples and we enjoyed the craic.   I even ventured onto the dance floor but as Mrs Boggy was dancing with someone else I decided to sit and blether to my mate Reg and the rest of the Scottish Braveheart team.

As tomorrow was a big day in the athletics stadium we left just after 11.30pm and I was tucked up in bed not long after the witching hour.

Day 4 - Sunday

Once again we were on the road at 7.45am heading back towards the airport to the national athletics stadium.   We settled in the stand and planted the Union Jack and that was us sorted, competitors and supporters for the rest of the day.   Once I had registered and found out the time of my events I began my warm up procedure.   If done properly this can easily take 45 minutes.

My events in track and field are 100m / Long Jump and 4 x100m relay.   It just so happens that the world record holder is now in the veteran category having just turned 46 since the World Games in Nancy and realistically I was running and jumping for second place in both of my individual events.

As things turned out I was not far wrong.    The Flying Dutchman, Andre Lassooij, qualified ahead of me in the heats and we were comfortably the 2 fastest men in the field.   My thinking was that I would simply blank him out of my mind and just try to get to the other end of the track as quickly as possible.   I did just that and my time of 13.6 secs was a personal best and good enough for a silver medal behind the Dutchman.  He ran a the 100m in 12.6sec, which is simply outstanding for  a man of 46 having had a double lung transplant.

I was disappointing in the long jump and could only manage third place, again behind  Andre and also a French athlete by 0.02cm.   Oh well, a bronze medal is still pretty good in this company.

This is as close as I got to World champion - Andre Lassooij.   At the gala Dinner.

The 4 x 100m relay would give me my best chance of a gold medal and as the manager allowed me to select the runners and running order I was confident we would win.   The relays are normally an excellent way to finish a meeting but this proved to be somewhat of an anti-climax as the organisers insisted we run in age group category, ie Seniors + Adults and Veterans + Super Veterans.   They even had a slot allocated for an Old Boys/Girl relay.   Let's face it how many countries at these Games can field 4 runners in all of those categories.   As it happens - None!

To make it even more of a non event they insisted we run separate races instead of filling up the lanes and making a spectacle of it.   By the time I got the baton to run the anchor leg I had a 20m lead.   I offered to wait for the Irish runner and told him I was prepared to cross the line hand in hand with him.   As we had such a big lead he insisted, as did the changeover official, that I run to get a good time.   I duly obliged and take no satisfaction in winning a gold medal by 40 metres.

Don't get me wrong., I am proud of my medal but I think in the interests of sport and the ethos of the European Transplant Games that more of an effort could and should have been made to make a race of it both for the athletes and the spectators.

The Gala Dinner - as is customary the gala dinner is a formal event at which the Lord Mayor of Dublin was present and it is here that all of the trophies are handed out and the venue for the next games are announced.   I am sad and disappointed to say that a member of the British Team flouted the collar and tie request as per the the invitation.   To make matters worse he was also part of the Freeman squad of which I am manager.   I think it is an insult to our Irish hosts and  shows no team spirit at all.  As Baldrick would say,  "I have a cunning plan" which would prevent this happening again, I hope.

If you have any thoughts on this matter please use my 'Guest Book'

Back to the dinner - It will not surprise you to learn that the evening went off with military precision and was another thoroughly enjoyable night.   Good food, good company and good night.

As ever I do have a query (why am I not surprised that you dear reader are not surprised?).   A member of the GB team who also happens to be a Freeman member, namely Adrian Woodcock, is an 'Old Boy' and a very good sportsman.   In the racquets events he won 3 Gold medals and 3 Silver medals.   I would like to know how on earth he did not win the aforementioned Geoff Finnegan trophy.   Any answers?

I can answer my own question - Terry Mangan kindly supplied the following information.

Adrian won 2 Gold (not 3) and 3 Silver medals, giving him 12 points.
Ada Ter Beek (Netherlands) won 4 Gold and 1 Bronze medal, giving her 13 points.
 

Ada Ter Beek therefore becomes the first winner of the Geoff Finnegan Trophy. 
Congratulations Ada on a fantastic performance!
Thank you Terry for the correct info.

The 2006 European Heart & Lung Transplant Games - will be staged in Napoli (Naples) - Italy.   The dates are 21st - 26th June 2006.

 Summary - With the exception of some late results and missing medals, the 10th European Heart & Lung Transplant Games were a huge success.   All credit to the organising committee and every single volunteer.   Some of them were still working in the sports management centre office after midnight on the days of the competitions.   We cannot thank them enough, but I will try.........

.........On behalf of every competitor and supporter who attended the Games:-

 "Slán leat agus go raibh maith agut".

 All the results can now be found on the following site www.ihlta.com