Shona Maguire, a south east based vet, has qualified for the Deaflympics which is being held in Tokyo in November this year. She will be the first woman to represent Ireland in judo in the history of the Deaflympics.
Though hearing impaired from a young age due to damage caused by growths in both ears, Shona has never let it stand in her way. She started judo as part of the transition year programme in Mount Temple Comprehensive School and continued to train and compete as part of the UCD judo team while studying veterinary medicine.
A reoccurrence of the growths in one ear, and the demands of a first job lead to a lengthy spell away from the sport. She had a successful return to competitive judo last year with Kilkenny Judo Club earning 4 golds, a silver and a bronze in international competitions and she will now go on to compete in the Deaflympics.
The 2025 Summer Deaflympics, officially known as the 25th Summer Deaflympics or XXV Summer Deaflympics, is an international multi-sport event that is scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan from 15 November 2025 to 26 November 2025.
As it is only part funded, Shona has a go fund me campaign to make up the short fall of the cost of travel for her and her coach for the main event and training events in the meantime. You can find her on Go Fund Me at ‘Shona’s Deaflympic adventure 2025’ and follow her progress on Facebook at Shona Maguire Deaf Athlete.
