13 August 1997
By John Melvin
One of the youngest ever world champions in handball, 15 year-old Des Keegan old, is hoping to make a career out of his sport. The 15 year-old St Nathy's Ballaghadereen student, is also hoping that handball will be accepted as an Olympic sport which could provide him with the opportunity.
Ballaghadareen turned out in numbers to welcome home their young hero who captured the Waterford Crystal under 15 title at the World championships in Winnapeg, Canada last week where 600 players from Japan, Wales, England, Mexico, Australia and Belgium competed in various grades which included juvenile boys and girls under 11 right up to adult grades for men and women including a special 75 year-old veterans section.
And if handball becomes accepted as an Olympic sport, which seems very likely, it is his ambition to play for his country and perhaps return with a medal.
But as explained it is not all that easy and a lot of very hard work has gone in over a few short years. In fact, he trains every, day seven days a week, under the tutelage of coach John Gaffney.
Son of Paddy and Una, from New St, Ballaghadereen, Des has his head firmly fixed on a future career in the sport and is not letting the success at the World championships distort his vision or raise false expectations in one of the most psychical and mentally demanding of sports.
To win the world title Des had to emerge from a group of 39 competitions but it was the ease with which he coursed through to the final that suggests he is a real prospect for the future in a sport that is rapidly developing on the world stage. Des won his first round easily and then beat a Canadian comprehensively in round two. He accounted for Tommy Breen of Wexford and Sheim Kelly of Castlecomer to reach the semi-final where he had an impressive win over a youth from California.
Des came up against Kilkenny's William Love in the final and he produced some exhibition handball to claim the title. But without doubt this was phenomenal achievement by the you man who only took up the sport twelve years ago when he was encouraged to drop into the local club. A pupil of St. Nathy's College he was fortunate to be involved with a club that is very active on the handball front.
Lydia Doolin from Roscommon won the girls under 15 title in fine style when she beat off the big US hope Lynn Aleis in the final.
Other Mayo handballers who took part were Noel Raftery, Martin Bruen and Haulie Grady from Lisacul and Ger Prendergast from Claremorris.
