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Irish Olympic gymnast Kieran Behan shares his remarkable story on tonight's Off The Ball

Kieran Behan spoke on tonight's Off The Ball about his struggles with traumatic brain injury...



Irish Olympic gymnast Kieran B...
Off The Ball Radio

Irish Olympic gymnast Kieran Behan shares his remarkable story on tonight's Off The Ball

Kieran Behan spoke on tonight's Off The Ball about his struggles with traumatic brain injury, his preparation for Rio and day-to-day life trying to fund his dream.

"Life is pretty hectic at the moment," he said, "I'm training as much as I can. I train six days a week. My training is all about body management at the minute and getting myself to full fitness because I've just come off a very heavy routine."

Behan discussed his experience after the London Games in 2012 and how he had considered giving up the sport.

"I didn't hit exactly what I wanted to hit in the competition but that's the nature of sport. I did go through a very tough time in 2013. I had to have surgery again on my knee, that was my fifth operation.  

"I was in no-man's land, I thought 'is this it? has my knee completely given out?'.

"I had no money, I was trying to survive. I had no support and I can't talk about the injury too much in case I do get support. Depression was an understatement really. I was struggling an awful lot and I think that was the closest I had ever come to packing it all in.

"It wasn't the sport side of it at all, it was the finances of it to survive. At that time I couldn't work and go to the building site with my Dad. I couldn't coach gymnastics because I'm laid up in bed with my knee in the air. I wondered how long will it be like this?"

 You can listen to his full story by clicking the link below.

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