Smyth tweets for gold post box

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Eglinton sprinter Jason Smyth has asked if his hometown deserves a gold post box to mark his double win at the Paralympic Games.


The Royal Mail has been painting post boxes across the UK to honour Team GB athletes who win gold at the Olympics and Paralympics.

Smyth, who added the 200m crown to his 100m title on Friday, took to Twitter to pose the question of whether he should qualify for one too.

The 25-year-old represented Team Ireland in the London 2012 Games but points out that he lives in and is from Northern Ireland.

Smyth sent the tweet to @PostOffice and @Royalmailnews - who are yet to respond - and also asked his followers to re-tweet.

The Royal Mail explains on its website that it wants to celebrate every Team GB and Paralympics GB gold medal win with a gold post box in the athlete's home town.

"The UK is believed to be the first country to paint post boxes gold to celebrate Olympic and Paralympic gold medal wins," it said.

"The gold post boxes will be located in the home towns of the gold medallists wherever possible. The transformation will happen within days of a gold medal win."


Smyth smashed the world record for the third time in four races at the Olympic Stadium as he clocked a time of 21.05 seconds - 0.90secs faster than second place.

The Co Londonderry athlete, who is visually impaired because of Stargardt disease, has successfully defended both T13 titles he won four years ago at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

He completed his lap of honour holding an Irish flag which read 'Jason for double gold' before performing Usain Bolt's trademark pose on the podium.

"The people here and the British and the Irish, the cheers and support for me has been absolutely fantastic and I'll never forget it," said Smyth.

"It is a home Games and it's been a pleasure to be here competing.

"I'm not politically Irish or politically British. I could have gone for Britain just as easy as I went for Ireland, but at the time both people were given the opportunity and the Sports council in Ireland came on and wanted to support and help me and did whatever they could, whereas whoever was in charge of GB at the time was like 'whatever, whatever'. I'm not that bothered and it made my decision very easy, but they've helped me to get where I am today."

Smyth's second victory means the number of medals won by Northern Irish athletes at the Paralympic Games now stands at six.

The tally also includes two golds for Glenormley sprinter Michael McKillop T37 1500m and 800m, gold for Seaforde's Bethany Firth in the 100m backstroke S14, and bronze for Portaferry cyclist James Brown in the tandem road time trial.

[TeeferTiger]

If he's not in Team GB, he doesn't get a gold postbox. Simple.