Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly Win RTÉ Sport Team of the Year for 2025
2025 brought the great highs alongside some very challenging lows for Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly.
The reigning World Champions faced a big year with Paralympic Games, followed closely by the UCI Road and Para-cycling World Championships. Preparation was essential but it didn’t always go to plan with a broken collarbone for Dunlevy and concussion for Kelly.
Resilience quickly became a word synonymous with the pair as they returned home from the Paralympic Games Paris with a gold medal from the Women’s B Individual Time Trial and a silver medal from the Women’s B Road Race. It should also be noted that Dunlevy also claimed a silver medal on the track in what was her last ever race with pilot Eve McCrystal.
A quick turnaround and Dunlevy and Kelly were in Zurich for the UCI Road and Para-cycling World Championships hoping to retain their World Championship titles from 2023. They faced tough competition but we ready for the challenge.
They got off to a good start, winning the Women’s B Individual Time Trial. It was all to play for in the Road Race, could they go one better than their performance in Paris just a few weeks earlier?
Working closely with the other Irish tandem bike in the race of Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal, green jerseys were never far from the front.
Paralympic champions Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl for Great Britain stayed close to the Irish bikes. Dunlevy and Kelly showed their strength and determination, learning from what unfolded in Paris they edged away from Unwin and Holl. They finished the race with a 1:23 gap to the British bike who had to settle for silver.
It what proved a fairytale ending to the year, Healion and McCrystal claimed the bronze medal.
Dunlevy and Kelly made headlines, the pair showed just what was possible this year and are undoubtably an inspiration. Winning the RTÉ Sport Team of the Year seems a fitting end to the year.
Speaking at the awards Dunlevy said:
“It’s huge, myself and Eve [McCrystal] won this after Tokyo, which was like a dream. For para-athletes to actually win an accolade like this is huge. I represent so much. I am represented visually impaired children and adults at home to believe in themselves and you can achieve.
“You have to be resilient as a disabled person and disabled athlete, I just think I’ve shown that this year, we’ve had a few challenges with the injuries. I am representing so much and tandem cycling as well, putting it out there and para-cycling.
“It means an awful lot, thank you so much.”
Reflecting on what was described as a phenomenal year, Kelly said:
“Yeah absolutely, as Katie said we’ve had a couple of setbacks. I think we’re both just determined, we’re both fighters and we came out on the good end so we’re both delighted.”