The excitement and anticipation of the 2024 Paris Olympics are building as nations worldwide prepare to compete on the global stage. Though small in size, Ireland has a remarkably rich Olympic history.
Since the nation's participation since 1924, Ireland has achieved 35 medals at the Olympic Games, with 9 of them won by Irish female athletes. Prior to 1956, Irish women competing at the Olympic Games were few and far between. One hundred years ago, in 1924, Phoebe Blair-White and Hilda Wallis, competed for Ireland at the Paris Olympic Games. Ireland’s next female Olympian came four years later with swimmer Marguerite Dockrell competing in Amsterdam and then in 1956, Maeve Kyle became Ireland's first female track and field athlete.
The success of Irish women at the Olympic Games is increasing, having brought home 5 of the 16 medals for Ireland since 2000 - with the turning tide, women's sport continues to grow across the nation and worldwide, and much excitement brews for Irish athletes in Paris 2024. This year's Games in Paris will be the first Olympic Games that has achieved gender parity for male and female participants. As excitement for Paris builds, let's take a moment to reflect on the Irish medal winners that have defined Team Ireland's journey through the Olympic Games.
Triple Olympic Swimming Champion Michelle Smith (1996)
Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile
Swimming star Michelle Smith (de Bruin) won three gold and a bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and became the first Irish woman to ever win an Olympic gold medal. Many Irish fans will have memories of watching from Ireland in the middle of the night, with a few reported having specifically bought television sets to follow her race for the podium (..it was the 90's). Just two years later, Smith de Bruin was banned for four years by swimming's governing body FINA for tampering with a urine sample. The following year, she had an appeal against the ban dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. She was, however, never stripped of her Olympic medals.
While many wonder what happened to Michelle Smith De Bruin after the controversy, she broke her silence during the 2021 when asked for a statement from RTE's Liveline, as a listener commented that Smith De Bruin had been "written out of the history books". She commented "I just want to congratulate our brilliant rowers, Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan, on their wonderful achievement in becoming Ireland's newest Olympic Champions. What a stunning performance." She signed off "Michelle Smith de Bruin. Triple Olympic Champion, 1996."
Sonia O'Sullivan's Silver Medal (2000)
One of Ireland's most celebrated athletes, Sonia O'Sullivan, etched her name in history with a silver medal in the 5000 meters at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Throughout most of the 1990's and early 2000's, Sonia was one of the world’s leading female 5000m runners and also set a world record for the 2000m in 1994 (which stood until 2017). She's had numerous achievements, including a gold medal in the 5000m at the 1995 World Athletics Championships, three European Championship gold medals and two World Cross-Country Championship gold medals.
Photo by Brendan Moran/SportsfileAfter retiring from international competitions, Sonia became a regular face on television, sharing her athletic expertise in sports studios. Most recently, she joined as a coach on Ireland's Fittest Family, but has also been involved in coaching German Konstanze Klosterhalfen to 5000m gold at the European Athletics Championships in 2022. Daughter Sophie O'Sullivan continues the O'Sullivan legacy on the track, and will be making her debut at the Paris Olympic Games competing in the 1500m.
Katie Taylor's Historic Gold (2012)
The 2012 London Olympics marked a pivotal moment for Irish sports as Katie Taylor claimed gold in boxing, becoming Ireland's first female Olympic champion in the sport. The London Games was the first Games that allowed women to compete in boxing and Ireland's Katie Taylor was pivotal in getting women’s boxing over the line to be included at the Olympic Games.
Photo by Pat Murphy/Sportsfile
It wasn't Katie Taylor's first time coming up against rulings that denied women competing in boxing. She competed in the first sanctioned women's amateur fight in Ireland at just 15 years old. For the Olympic Games, she approached the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and alongside her comrades, organised showcase fights in Russia and the US for the IOC. Impressed with the competition, the event was sanctioned and Katie Taylor became champion in her weight category at the London Olympic Games.
After a personally disappointing Olympic Games in 2016, Katie made the move to turn professional, and became an undisputed world champion and remains to be one of the greatest female boxers of all time. Making waves yet again, alongside Amanda Serrano, she was part of the first women's headlining fight in Madison Square Gardens - which unsurprisingly, sold out.
Annalise Murphy's Sailing Silver (2016)
Although Annalise grew up in a sailing family, with her parents seasoned sailors with over 40 years of experience and her mother representing Ireland at the 1988 Olympics, aspirations to compete at top level really only began when she was about 16 years old. She adapted and improved at a rapid rate and Annalise first competed at the Olympic Games in London 2012, at 22 years old. It was a thrilling competition, as she was in medal contention, finishing in a final fourth place.
Photo by Seb Daly/SportsfileAt her next Olympic Games, Annalise Murphy made history by becoming the first Irish woman to secure an Olympic medal in sailing in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. After an illustrious career spanning three Olympic Games, she retired from competitive sailing following Tokyo 2020.
We still see Annalise at top level competition, as she took up cycling for fun after her retirement in sailing but "fun" for Annalise resulted in becoming a national cycling champion! In her very first year as a competitive cyclist, she clinched victory in the scratch race at the Dublin track cycling international competition, and has continued to make strides in cycling. Her commitment to athlete welfare is evident through her role on the Olympic Federation of Ireland's Athletes Commission, where she serves as a passionate advocate for athlete welfare and mentor for young talents.
Irish Rowing Four's Row To Bronze (2020)
Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty made history in Tokyo as they became the first Irish female rowers to win an Olympic medal. Qualifying just weeks before at the "Last Chance Regatta" in Lucerne, the crew looked strong and fiery as they raced in Tokyo. In competitive rounds in Tokyo, they went on to win bronze bringing great pride to the nation. All athletes have stayed in the Irish rowing programme and will go on to compete again in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Emily Hegarty and Eimear Lambe will return to compete in the four alongside Natalie Long and Imogen Magner, while Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh will return to the Olympics in the pair. This year, a record number of crews have qualified for Team Ireland at the Paris Games, with sixteen athletes to compete across seven boats.
Rowing runs in the Lambe family, as Eimear's sister Claire competed with Sinead Jennings in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the lightweight double event, as part of the first Irish women's crew to make an Olympic final. You may recognise the Jennings name, as her sister Catriona Jennings previously competed at the Olympic Games in the marathon.
It's no doubt that these athletes inspired the next generation and their teammates, with Irish rowing in a competitive position for the Paris Games.
Kellie Harrington's Boxing Gold (2020)
The 34-years-old has been in the boxing spotlight since 2016, winning numerous world and European titles, truly making her mark. In 2020, she went for the ultimate crown and achieved an incredible feat at the Tokyo Games, becoming the Olympic lightweight champion. Kellie Harrington will return to Paris with the hopes of defending her title.
Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Kellie will head to Paris leading the Irish squad, who will make history this year as they will have a woman compete in every single Olympic weight class. A team of 10 Irish boxers will go to Paris – a team size not seen since the 1960 Games. Ireland are one of 3 nations that have qualified a full female team of athletes. Stars like Aoife O'Rourke and Grainne Walsh will be among them.
It's undeniable the impact that Katie Taylor has had in boxing, with women's performance at international competition incredibly strong in recent years and the proof in the pudding, with a full women's Irish team set to compete. There's a rich history in Irish boxing, with several years of success behind them and great excitement from a nation who believes in the athletes.
Counting down the days!
Considering Ireland's Olympic journey, there is much to be excited for for the upcoming Paris Games. As we look towards Team Ireland's participation in the 2024 Games, let's remember the remarkable Olympic journey of the Irish team, and all that it has achieved over the years.
