It's been a phenomenal start for Team Ireland in Paris, and Irish fans worldwide have already been given many reasons to celebrate in the first week of events.
Ireland have earned a spot on the medal table just five days after the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, with two well-earned swimming medals secured on Monday and Tuesday night.
Sligo talent Mona McSharry stormed into a phenomenal third place finish in a hotly-contestedWomen's 100m Breaststroke final on Monday, while swimming star Daniel Wiffen powered into first place in the Men's 800m Freestyle last night in style. Both have made Irish history, but only mark the beginning of what looks set to be a world-class Olympics for Ireland.
With three more weeks of events set to take place, what other Irish athletes look set to secure podium positions? Here's a look at the many events Team Ireland are competing in soon -
Swimming
Mona McSharry - 200m Breaststroke
It's not over yet for Mona McSharry and Daniel Wiffen!Olympic Bronze medallist Mona McSharry returned to the pool for the 200m Breaststroke Heats today, easily securing a semi-final spot with the seventh fastest time overall.
McSharry became Ireland’s first medallist of the Paris Games on Monday in the 100m Breaststroke, and may yet see more Olympic success in the 200m Breaststroke.The Sligo woman holds the Irish record in the event at 2:22.49, which she set just last month.
Daniel Wiffen - 1500m freestyle
Wiffen is also set to compete across multiple other swimming events, including the 400m, 1500m Freestyle and 10k Open Swim.
The Co Down distance swimmer is the reigning world champion at 800m and 1,500m freestyle, becoming the first ever Irishman to win a world title in Doha earlier this year. Hopes are high for another result for Wiffen in the 1500, but a result in the 400m or 10k is not out of the question either.
Rowing
O’Donovan & McCarthy -Men’s Lightweight Double
Olympic champions Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy proved they're back to their imposing, imperious best with a win in the semi finals of the men's lightweight double.
The Cork duo will start favourites for gold in Friday’s lightweight double sculls A final in Paris after their commanding semi-final win this morning.
Lynch & Doyle - Men’s Double Sculls
Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch impressed viewers in reaching the double sculls final today,following an impressive showing to win their semi-final.
The Irish pair, bronze medallists at the 2023 World Championships, are set to compete in their final this Friday, heading in confident following their win over New Zealandand the US.
Rowing - other
Two other Irish teams will compete in rowing finals on Friday after finishing third in their semi finals.
Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremin finished third in the lightweight women's double sculls semi-finals. A strong finish saw the pair take the third qualifying spot for the A final in a time of 6:59.72.
Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney reached the men's pair A final. The duo finished third in their semi-final in 6:32.22.
Boxing
Kellie Harrington - Women's 60kg
While Ireland’s gold medal winner in boxing from Tokyo is up against a tough opponent in Colombia’s Angie Valdes for her quarter final bout, boxing fans across the country seem assured that the Dublin native will once again be bringing a medal home.
Harrington eased through the round of 16,looking very in control during her unanimous points win over Italy’s Alessia Mesiano.
Aoife O’Rourke - Women's 75kg
Many have predicted a medal is in the works for the Roscommon woman, as she heads in as one of the stronest contenders in the event. The boxer has been given an unfortunate run to the final, having toface one of two veterans from Panama or Kazakhstan in the quarter finals, but O'Rourke should be able to make it work.
Jack Marley - Men's92kg
While it may be a tough ask to medal here, the Dublinerbeat the hard-hitting Bereźnicki of Poland in the last 16, and may avoid big names until the final.
Sailing
Dickson & Waddilove -49er (skiff)
the 49er pair Sean Dickson and Robert Waddilove are former underage world champions, and have certainly proved themselves so far in their event, currently placed at second overall. Previously in Tokyo, they won two of the twelve preliminary races – a feat none of the medal winners could match.
Wednesday is the last day of the opening series races in the Paris Olympics men's skiff class, and with their consistent showing since Monday, Ireland's sailing duo appear certain to earn one of the top ten places in Thursday's all-important medal race decider, which counts for double points and cannot be discarded.
Gymnastics
Rhys McClenaghan - Pommel Horse
Rhys McClenaghan qualified in first place to the pommel-horse final in stunning style with a score of 15.200 on Saturday. Rhys is the first ever Irish gymnast to qualify to 2 finals at 2 consecutive Olympic Games.
Back-to-back World Champion McClenaghan was the first Irish gymnast to qualify for an Olympic Final at the Tokyo games in 2022, and a podium position is arguably guaranteed for the gymnast star.
Showjumping
Coyle, Sweetnam & O’Connor - Team and Individuals Jumping
Coyle and Sweetnam are both ranked in the world’s top 12 and O’Connor is a proven big event performer with Olympic and European individual medals, so expections are high to prove Ireland's equestrian talents are still world-class. Of course, in showjumping it’s all about the horses so achievements on previous events with different combinations can have little relevance to our chances in Paris.
Team Ireland are considered a medal favourite for the event, but there’s very little room for error in showjumping now with no discard score. If our boys perform on the day, we’ll be right in the hunt.
Athletics
Team - Mixed 4X400m Relay
While past performances are no indications of future results on the track, Ireland head in with their heads held high following a first place finish in the European Championships in June. The team is still yet to be conclusively divided, but if the team from Rome remains unchanged, Ireland may be in with a chance at an Irish record-breaking medal.
The relay team will benefit from clashing times, as individual events are close to the relay times, so this team will certainly be one to watch!
Rhasidat Adeleke - Women's 400m
Adeleke will expect to win her heat and qualify comfortably for the final. When she gets there, she’ll meet 3 women who have run faster than her this year and the recently returned from a drugs ban, former world champion representing Bahrain.
That makes 5 women who all think they can win medals. With Marileidy Paulinho being favourite and Nickisha Pryce being second fastest in the world, it looks like a race for bronze between Adeleke, Natalia Kaczmarek (who beat Adeleke at the European Champs) and Salwa Eid Naser. Let’s hope the young Tallaght women can make the podium.
Golf
McIlroy, Lowry, Maguire & Meadows - Men's and Women's
Shane Lowry has said that he believes winning Olympic gold will make up for missing out on a second Open title recently, so game faces will certainly be on. Fellow Ireland team-mate Rory McIlroy will be targeting his biggest win for a decade.
Maguire and Meadows have also performed well in the past, but given the unpredictable nature of golfing events it will certainly be all to play for. Let’s hope they all have a bit of luck over their four rounds and we get a medal in the relatively new Olympic sport.
