Damien Shaw in final preparations for London games

Mullingar cyclist Damien Shaw is in Portugal this week, making final preparations for his participation in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, which start on August 29.Damien (27) - competing as a sighted pilot for visually impaired track cyclist, James Brown - is one of two Westmeath athletes who will participate at the London Paralympics, along with Ballinahown handcyclist Mark Rohan.Already a well known face on European and world paracycling circuits, the Mullingar man hopes, alongside James, to achieve new heights in the sport, as a step on the road to qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.As we went to press, Damien and James are in one of the last phases of their pre-Paralympic training, with race simulation at Portugal's only indoor cycling track in Coimbra.They arrive in London this Friday (August 24), where final preparations will take place before their first outing the Men's Tandem Pursuit event at London's Velodrome on Thursday August 30 (11am)."We're looking forward to it. We were medallists at the Worlds in Los Angeles, so we're confident of doing well," Damien said, though aware of the potential shown by their Australian rivals.