World bronze medallist Oisín Joyce returns home to Ballinrobe

A large crowd descended upon the home of Lake District Atheltic’s Club to welcome home Ballinrobe’s very own Oisín Joyce, who became the first Irish man ever to win a throws medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships.

The talented javelin thrower set a national U-20 record when he threw 73.89m at the finals in Peru to secure a bronze medal. 

The Glebe Street native received a garda escort and a hero’s welcome at a homecoming event organised by the club yesterday (Wednesday) evening. 

Addressing the crowd during an interview with club member Majella Loftus, Joyce thanked everyone who had gathered to welcome him home after his historic win. 

_{Oisín Joyce (centre) pictured with young fans at his homecoming at Lake District AC in Ballinrobe (Pic: Trish Forde)}

Speaking to The Mayo News later, Joyce described the welcome he received at his homecoming as ‘mental’. 

“I didn’t expect that at all,” he said, “I knew there was a homecoming, but I wasn’t expecting half of what was coming. There was a massive crowd.”

The 19-year-old said that the medal ceremony in Peru was the highlight of the past few days and said he would be ‘definitely looking for more’ medals in the future. 

He is a past student of Ballinrobe Community School and has played with the Ballinrobe intermediate squad in the past. 

Further coverage of Oisín Joyce’s homecoming will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News Sport. 

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