In fierce cold conditions on France’s western Alps, Ireland’s first ever advanced skier, Caolan McConville from Antrim, shone as he took home a gold medal. And there was a snowball effect for the team in Sestriere, with Galway’s Máire Connolly and Lucy Best, from Antrim, also taking gold. Dubliner Donal Brennan achieved a silver medal, while Clive Healy from Waterford took a bronze. Reacting to her gold medal, Best, from Ballinderry, wasn’t one for resting on her laurels. “I’m gonna do the same again tomorrow. I know the Super-G is going to be harder but I will try,” she said. Meanwhile, it was fitting that a Kennedy would have an Irish man on his team when he entered the floorball arena for the first time. Cork’s Jack Buckley was on hand to show Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver how floorball is played. Mr Shriver, whose mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics, was put through his paces for two consecutive matches, and was just happy he had Buckley on his team during the unified match at Turin’s Inalpi Arena. “An Irish goalie keeping us in the game, of course,” Mr Shriver said, after scoring a goal. “It’s a new sport for Special Olympics but it’s a wonderful sport,” Mr Shriver said. “A lot of skill, aerobics, strength, coordination. At the end of the day when most people ask about Special Olympics and you try to distil what they like about it, it’s fun,” he added. Being a nephew of former US president John F Kennedy, Mr Shriver has well-documented Irish connections, which led to his sister, Maria leading out Team Ireland at the opening ceremony for a second time. Growing up, the family dinner was very much traditionally Irish for that time. “Meat and potatoes, seven nights a week. I had to leave home to find out there was something other than that to eat,” he joked, as he got ready to go onto the floorball court. “I would love to see the Irish team come home with a gold medal [in floorball], silver and bronze are good too. One thing you can count on with the Irish is they will compete. Every time we have a World Games, you see the Irish on the world stage, you see competitors, you see well-trained athletes, you see athletes who play together as a team and you see athletes who give it their all,” Mr Shriver added. Team Ireland’s floorball team is particularly unique, with half of the squad hailing from the one Cork Special Olympics club. Skibbereen may be the hotspot for rowing, but Mallow is Cork’s floorball town. Buckley, along with teammates Gavin Bourke, Joe Joe Sheehan and James Hunter, have built up lasting friendships, and it’s led them to the biggest stage. After emerging victorious against Mexico in their first match yesterday, they lost out to a talented Costa Rican team in match two. Captain Bourke said playing with his Mallow teammates made the World Games extra special. “Four of us are from the same town, the same team which if I’m correct is probably one of the first times [a town has had such representation at a World Games]. All the players were inundated with requests for autographs at their first match, with Bourke joking: “I feel like Ronaldo, I’m going to have to get security at this stage”. Being such close friends gives the players an edge on their opponents, Mr Sheehan’s sister, Shantelle -Sheehan, said. “The boys are really close, friendship-wise even,” Ms Sheehan said. “They’re always training together, so that really helps, when they’re on the floor, they trust each other. “They became friends in Special Olympics,” she said, explaining that her brother’s confidence has soared from being involved in Special Olympics, adding that he’d already done three interviews. “I think he should get a gold medal just for doing that because he wouldn’t stand and talk to anyone [before Special Olympics], but he’s after building his confidence, it’s just brilliant,” his mum Mairéad said.