Letterkenny teen Anna Hennessy is celebrating multiple wins after achieving phenomenal success at the Irish Down Syndrome National Swimming Championships.

Anna Hennessy, 17, from Letterkenny

Anna, aged 17, came home with two gold and one silver medal following the event at Stewarts Sports Centre in Palmerstown, Dublin on Saturday 25th February.

Anna outswam her competition to take gold in both the 25m and 50m freestyle and silver in the 25m butterfly.

The young athlete had the fastest overall time out of the three 50m freestyle heats and the seven 25m heats on Saturday. She also won her silver medal by beating two Team Ireland swimmers in the 25m butterfly. Commenting on her triumphs, Anna said: “I just can’t believe I did it, I’m so happy.”

Anna could now be in with a chance of joining Team Ireland and train to represent her country in the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships.

She would like to thank her coach Patricia Greenan, for all her hard work in training her at the Clanree Hotel leisure centre over the years. Anna’s parents, Kevin and Mairead Hennessy, would like to thank the Donegal Down Syndrome association who organise swimming coaching and a variety of other activities for young people like Anna.

Mairead, Anna and Kevin Hennessy

Anna is no stranger to success in the sport, having won medals in the Northern Ireland Disability Games twice before. She has also competed for her school, Loreto Letterkenny, where she is currently in Transition Year.

Her parents along with her older sisters Eavan and Riona, were full of pride to welcome home a national champion this weekend. The popular young woman received a celebratory homecoming, along with congratulatory messages from well-known figures across Donegal.

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