Richael Timothy

Richael Timothy
Personal information
Home townBallymoe, County Galway[1]
Sport
Country Ireland
SportPara-cycling
C3
ClubCastlerea Cycling Club
Medal record
Representing  Ireland
Women's para cycling
Track World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2020 MiltonScratch Race
Bronze medal – third place2023 GlasgowScratch Race
Bronze medal – third place2023 GlasgowOmnium
Road European Championships
Gold medal – first place2026 ManiagoRoad Race
Bronze medal – third place2026 ManiagoTime Trial

Richael Timothy is an Irish para-cyclist. She has represented Ireland at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics. She has won three bronze medals at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, and became the road race champion in the women's C3 category at the 2026 UEC Para-cycling European Championships.

Early and personal life

Richael Timothy is from Ballymoe from County Galway.[1][2][3] During her teenage years, she played association football, and represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15 and under-17 level. She also played inter-county Gaelic football for Roscommon as a goalkeeper.[1][2][4]

At the age of 21, Timothy was forced to retire from football due to hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a rare vascular disorder.[4] Following treatment, she suffered an acquired brain injury in 2016 which left her with only 30% strength in her right arm and leg.[1][2][5]

Timothy identifies as LGBTQ,[2][6] and is married to Jennifer Downey, who is a physiotherapist.[7]

Career

After her acquired brain injury, Timothy turned to indoor cycling as a means of rehabilitation and took up para-cycling based on her doctor's recommendation in 2017.[2] She joined Cycling Ireland's development programme.[4] She quickly progressed through the para-cycling ranks, and made her international debut for Ireland in 2017.[2][4][8] She won her first international medal at an Manchester Para-Cycling International, securing a silver medal in the Scratch Race.[1][7]

Timothy won a bronze medal in the Scratch Race at the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships held in Milton.[1][9] She finished fourth in the Road Race and fifth in the Time Trial at the 2021 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships.[1] She became the Irish national champion in the Time Trial event in 2021.[10] She represented Ireland at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. She competed in four events: the women's individual pursuit C1–3, women's time trial C1–3, women's road time trial C1–3, and women's road race C1–3. Her best result was ninth place in the individual pursuit.[11]

Timothy won two bronze medals at the 2023 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships held in Glasgow. She finished third in the Scratch Race and Omnium in the C3 classification.[9][12] She represented Ireland at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris. She competed in four events: the women's individual pursuit C1–3, women's time trial C1–3, women's road time trial C1–3, and women's road race C1–3. Her best result was seventh place in the individual pursuit event.[11]

In June 2026, Timothy won a gold medal in the Road Race and a bronze medal in the Time Trial event in the women's C3 category at the UEC Para-cycling European Road Championships in Italy.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Richael Timothy". Paralympics Ireland. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Irish LGBTQ+ Paralympian Richael Timothy opens up about her inspirational journey to Paris 2024". GCN. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "One day I woke up with no power on my right side – paracyclist Richael Timothy on brain injury that changed her life". Irish Independent. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Women In Sport Focus – Richael Timothy". Paralympics Ireland. 5 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Paracyclist Richael Timothy on how an acquired brain injury changed her life path". Irish Examiner. 16 July 2024. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "LGBTQ Paralympians at the 2024 Paris Summer Games". Outsports. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Richael Timothy shares her story". HHT Ireland. Archived from the original on 12 May 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ↑ "Defying The Odds #3 – Richael Timothy". We Love Cycling Ireland. 8 December 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Richael Timothy". Cycling Ireland. Archived from the original on 30 April 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Richael Timothy". Dare to Believe. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Richael Timothy". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 14 April 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Two bronze medals for Richael Timothy at world championships". The Irish Times. 8 August 2023. Archived from the original on 1 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Ballymoe cyclist takes home two medals from Italy". Tuam Herald. 17 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
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