Former Mayor who bestowed Freedom of Borough on Jonathan Rea wishes legend well after abrupt end to his final season

THE former Mayor Paul Michael has sent best wishes to six-time World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea after he ended the last race of his career in disappointing fashion.

After 119 wins and 264 podiums, the local rider had aimed to end his 17-year career at Sunday's final race of the season at Jerez.

But a crash and an injury brought to an end a turbulent two years with Yamaha, after his stellar performances riding with Kawasaki from 2015 to 2020.

He had started out with Honda in 2008.

But Rea’s phenomenal run was brought to an end after he suffered a knee injury in the first lap of the Superpole race on Sunday, and was advised not to get back on his bike.

He had already come off at Saturday's opening race.

Back in 2019, the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey was conferred upon Rea by then-UUP Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Paul Michael, who is now an independent Alderman.

Stunned shoppers gathered as the local legend tried his hand at driving some sheep across Market Square in Antrim.

And the race was soon on when a few of the sheep gave him the slip and made a bid for some freedom of their own!

But cool to the end, the novice shepherd soon had his unruly flock back under control - though was some head scratching a few days later when locals wondered why the grass around the Cenotaph was studded with hoof prints...

The prestigious council award came fresh on the back of Jonathan being crowned Belfast Telegraph Sports Star of the Year for the second time in a row.

The honour was bestowed at a public ceremony in the Theatre at The Mill. Over 200 Rea fans as well as family and friends joined with elected reps, Freemen of the Borough and other invited guests for the momentous occasion.

The Freedom of the Borough is the highest award that the Council can grant and is normally awarded to local people and organisations who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered exceptional services to the Borough.

It came as no surprise, then, that the chamber proposed and agreed the award in recognition of Jonathan’s outstanding services to sport.

At the time, Alderman Michael said: “Jonathan has well and truly put our country on the world stage and we are extremely proud to have him as one of Northern Ireland’s sporting ambassadors,” he said.

“As the first rider to win four successive World Superbike titles, he can lay claim to be one of the best two-wheel competitors across the globe.

“We consider it a great privilege that Jonathan has returned back here to Northern Ireland and to our Borough to lay his family roots.

“He is a truly worthy recipient of this honour and on behalf of the people of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough, I wish him every success as he begins his next season.”

Jonathan is no stranger to accepting awards, of course, but he was the first to admit that the accolade was ‘a bit special’.

“To be made a Freeman of the Borough is a humbling experience and a significant honour for which I am extremely grateful and which I shall continue to treasure,” he said.

“I want to thank all those who not only have taken the time to join me here on this special occasion, but have supported me and travelled with me at my races all over the world.”

As an acknowledgement to the Council, Jonathan presented the Mayor with one of his trophies, which he won at Lausitzring in Germany in 2017 after finishing in second place.

Jonathan asked that this perpetual award be presented at the Council’s bienniall Sports Awards to recognise the excellent sporting achievement of an individual within the Borough.

Jonathan’s name was added to the Council’s Roll of Honourable Freemen alongside other sporting heroes from the Borough including champion jockey Sir AP McCoy OBE and rugby legend Dr Willie John McBride CBE.

Alderman Michael said this week: “It was my greatest honour bestowing the freedom of the borough on Johnny Rea and now that he has retired, I wish him well for what the future brings and thank him, for the greatest of memories - I think we all enjoyed the ride!”

After the dramatic scenes at the weekend, Rea, (38) said: “It's not the end we all dreamed of, but I'm very grateful to have had the career that I’ve had.

“I was frustrated to go down, and to be ruled out of my last race isn't how I wanted to write the end of the story,

“I also have to be very content. I'm happy to close the chapter.

“It hasn't been the dream I imaged the last few seasons. It's the end of a story I'm happy to get out of and start a new story.”

On Sunday morning, he was battling with Australian Remy Gardner when the pair collided, with both riders ending up in the gravel trap and Rea being stretchered away.

Returning to the paddock, he said early indications showed knee ligament damage.

Rea was with his team manager and wife, Tatia and their sons when he was told he would not be able to race one final time.

“It's tough in one way because it's not how you imagined you finish," he added.

“But every story must come to an end and you don't get to decide how that ends.

“There's a mix of emotions but overall there's relief that it is done. The sport has given me so much but taken away a lot as well, so I'm happy to walk slowly out of it."

This is a small chapter in a big book that we've written," added Rea,

“The great Valentino Rossi, I can't remember how his last season went, never mind his last race. I hope I will be remembered like that.

“I went down fighting and I hope that still gives inspiration to people. I'm 100% sure that I will be able to have no regrets and I finish my career content with what I have done.”

Rea was later presented with a helmet to mark the end of his career, while his team waved a banner reading ‘Thank You JR’.

His Dad Johnny, also a successful racer in the 80s, added: “We'’e proud of what he has achieved, but we’re more proud of the person he is.

“I think he will be remembered for a long time.”