Kieran Behan was no ordinary 10 year old. In love with gymnastics, Kieran was determined to become an Olympic athlete, even at his young age, and would let nothing stand in his way. Life, however, would have other plans for young Kieran, and throw no shortage of obstacles in his way.
Kieran had to undergo surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his thigh, and the operation didn’t go well. As a matter of fact, the 10-year old woke up screaming mid-way through the botched surgery, which resulted in considerable nerve damage. Doctors told Kieran he would never walk again, but he wasn’t about to let anything stand in the way of his dreams.
Kieran embarked upon the long journey towards recovery, hitting the gym despite spending 15 months in a wheelchair. By all indication things were going well, and Kieran even resumed his Olympic training, but mere months later he slipped from the high bar, sustaining a severe head injury in the process. The injury led to frequent blackouts, training setbacks, and an entire school year missed, but Kieran wouldn’t be held back from his training for long.
Three years later Kieran was finally back to where he was before the accident, but further setbacks came in the form of multiple fractures and a knee which snapped just after he had been selected for the European Championships. He was all but ready to give up, but he never did.
Kieran continued to progress, and success finally came in 2011 when he became the Challenge World Cup floor champion. Finally, after all his hard work and determination, Kieran Behan qualified for the London 2012 Olympics. An incredible journey that won’t soon be forgotten.
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