‘Inspiring’ Mullagh Para Powerlifter shortlisted for prestigious award

Mullagh Para Powerlifter Casey Fitzgerald has been nominated for the Her Sport Awards Personality of the Year. It comes as she is seeking a sponsor to help her on the road to the next Paralympics in Los Angeles.

More accustomed to telling The Anglo-Celt about smashing personal bests and outlining rigorous training programmes, this award is on a different scale. The 19-year-old has been recognised as an inspiration for others - a resilient, hardworking, confident and warm athlete.

The nomination came as a surprise to the family, as none of the Fitzgeralds know who nominated Casey. Cerebral Palsy Ireland Football was also nominated in the awards and mother Tracey wanted to cast her support to the group.

“I went in to vote and I seen Katie Taylor’s name in one of the categories, Kellie Harrington, Rhasidat Adeleke...

“To get to the end of it you had to scroll the whole way down and all of a sudden I went, hold on a minute, I know that face!”

Upon hearing the news, Casey was “very surprised”.

“I wasn’t expecting it and then, when it all settled in I was like, that is so cool.

“I got really excited.”

While Casey initially struggled to find reason for her nomination, her mum easily filled in the gaps.

“It took more than one person to nominate you, obviously a few people nominated you,” she said, both women sitting by the fire in their cosy Mullagh home. In the corner, known as ‘the Casey Corner’ 16 medals from para powerlifting championships all over the world dangle from the wall. Above it a quote reads ‘she believed she could so she did’.

The nomination reminded the pair of a time a few years ago when Casey was so shy that she barely left her bedroom.

“If you’d known her a couple of years ago, we were really, really concerned about her mental health.

“She never came out of her room, she spoke to us here, she never went out that front door.

“I think you’re inspiring,” her mother adds, looking towards her daughter.

“I guess I’m making a difference to some people,” Casey accepts.

“You’re definitely a character, you’re very likeable, I think you do inspire a lot of people, you even inspire us and we’re your parents.

“Considering you stayed in your room a few years ago and didn’t speak to anybody, you never left the house and now look at you, you have literally turned your life a whole 360, the whole way around and it’s only starting,” Tracey says.

“There’s a lot more to come,” Casey pledges.

Just that morning in the gym, Casey made a new year’s resolution to lift over 90kg this year.

“Hopefully 101kg and take the world record,” she adds.

Coached by Bryan Foy from Club Active in Kells, Casey has until her 20th birthday in October to break the record, currently held by fellow Mullagh para powerlifter and Paralympian Britney Arendse.

“Britney has said to me that she wants me to take it... Out of everybody she wants me to take it.”

The young sports star had just finished her first training session after a three-week break. On the path to the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028, Casey outlines what lies in store for the next couple of months.

“I know I have a competition coming up in July,” she outlined.

The competition will take place somewhere in Europe. Following that is Cairo in October. The competitions are a series of essentials, which will allow Casey to qualify for LA.

“They help bring us up on the leaderboard for the top eight that are going,” she explains.

“I’ll work as hard as I can to stay in the top eight so I can get to LA, that’s the goal in the end.”

The family “never know” where competitions will take place and her mother outlines how they are “crying out” for a sponsor for Casey.

“It’s going to make a huge difference to her, her career and her pathway to LA, it [sponsorship] would make things a lot easier.”

To vote for Casey, click here and fill out the form.