It is 226 days until the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and 259 to the opening of the Paralympic Games.
As of today, the Irish Olympic team sits at 68 confirmed athlete quota places, with no athlete officially selected yet.
A further 27 athletes are currently sitting within qualification ranking, confirming that Team Ireland for Paris is set to possibly the biggest yet.
The Olympic Federation and the media teams of each of the sports likely to have competitors are working well together to ensure that the story of the games and the athletes are told and we have published below the latest updates on qualification of athletes as well as key dates on the journey.
OLYMPIC FEDERATION OF IRELAND
Over the past few months a lot has happened, with the Team Ireland Olympic Ball celebrating athletes from the European Games, as well as celebrating award winners across various categories.
The Dare to Believe Olympic Movement Breaks, in conjunction with Active Schools Flag and sponsored by PTSB, saw over 120,000 school children get moving in activities led by some of Ireland’s top athletes.
The National Action Plan for Gender Equality event discussed several of the initiatives targeted by the Gender Equality Commission.
A focus on winter sports saw the announcement of the IOC Milano Cortina 2026 Scholarship recipients, and in January Team Ireland will compete in the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon.
On the 1 January 2024,the OFI will begin its centenary celebrations, looking back at some of the stories of a rich 100-year history of Team Ireland at the Olympic Games.
AQUATICS
Currently, three swimmers have achieved Olympic qualifying times for Paris: Daniel Wiffen, Ellen Walshe and Mona McSharry.
Last week Irish swimmers performed outstandingly at the 2023 European Short Course Swimming Championships, with Daniel Wiffen producing a phenomenal short course world record-breaking performance in the 800m Freestyle.
The next focus for swimming will be the World Championships next February, offering more opportunities for athletes to achieve Olympic qualifying times.
ATHLETICS
This month’s standout performer is Fionnuala McCormack, who achieved the qualifying time for the Paris 2024 Olympics in the Marathon.
In doing so the Wicklow runner has become the only Irish female athlete to qualify for five Olympic Games. Her performance at the Valencia Marathon is all the more impressive given it came just months after she gave birth to her third child.
This brings the number of athletes to have achieved qualifying times for the Games to eight, with Rhasidat Adeleke qualifying in two events (200m, 400m).
Key dates on the 2024 Athletics calendar are:
World Indoor Championships – Glasgow – March 1st-3rd
World Race Walking Team Championships – Antalya, Turkey – April 21st 2024 – The top 22 finishing teams at the 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya will qualify automatically for the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay in Paris. Three further places available then. Kate Veale and Brendan Boyce targeting.
World Relays – May 4th and 5th – Nassau, Bahamas – Top 14 teams qualify for Paris – Two further places available then.
BADMINTON
Currently Tokyo Olympian Nhat Nguyen is sitting within qualification in the Men’s Singles (ranked 19 with 38 to qualify).
Rachael Darragh is following her aunt’s (three time Olympian Chloe Magee) footsteps and is sitting within ranking in the Women’s Singles (ranked 28 with 38 to qualify). The Men’s Doubles of Joshua Magee and Paul Reynolds are sitting just outside the top 16 who will qualify.
CYCLING
Last month the UCI confirmed that Ireland would be awarded two male spots in the Cycling Road Race, one of whom will also compete in the Time Trial. They also confirmed that Ireland would be awarded a female spot in the Road Race.
This means that 2024 will be the first time since the Sydney Olympics in 2000 that Ireland will be represented in the Women’s Road Race.
The Track Cycling team will be focused on gaining crucial Olympic qualifying points at the European Track Championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, from the 10 – 14 January.
Currently the Women’s Team Pursuit is sitting within qualification, ranked ninth, with the top ten qualifying. Should they qualify, they will automatically be allowed to enter a team in the Women’s Madison also.
EQUESTRIAN
Team Ireland has already qualified teams to compete in the Show Jumping and Eventing competitions in Paris.
Bernard Jackman has been appointed to the role of High Performance Consultant to the teams.
HOCKEY
In January all eyes will be on the two hockey teams competing in Valencia, Spain.
The top three teams in the men’s and women’s tournaments will be awarded a spot in the Paris Olympic Games.
The women’s team will face Belgium, GB, Spain, Korea, Canada, Malaysia and Ukraine. The men’s team will face Belgium, Spain, Korea, Japan, Austria, Egypt and Ukraine.
The tournaments run from the 13 – 21 January 2024.
SAILING
At the 49er European Championships last month in Vilamoura, Portugal, Ireland’s Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove emerged as the victorious nation in the hunt for the one spot available in the Men’s Skiff.
Irish Sailing has currently guaranteed three slots, or two boats for the Paris Games, with the competition taking place in Marseilles.
PARALYMPICS IRELAND
AQUATICS
Currently, 2 female slots have been qualified by Róisín Ní Riain and Ellen Keane. The qualification window closes at the end of January, with one more competition available for athletes to improve their rankings. Nicole Turner, Dearbhaile Brady and Barry McClements are currently sitting within the rankings.
ATHLETICS
Currently, 2 female slots have been qualified by Greta Streimikyte and Orla Comerford, with the qualification window open until the end of June. At the World Championships in Japan in May 2024 there is also an opportunity for athletes to win straight slots.
ROWING
At this year’s World Championships, a boat was qualified by Katie O’Brien and Steven McGowan. Selection for the boat is ongoing with Tiarnán O’Donnell also in contention for the male spot.
PARA DRESSAGE
The Para Dressage team compete in the Netherlands from 13 – 15 December, with an opportunity to qualify a team.
PARA CYCLING
The qualification period for cycling runs up until June at which point the nation standings will determine the number of slots awarded, currently, it is estimated that Ireland will be awarded four female and three male slots.
PARA TRIATHLON
There are currently four athletes (plus two guides) in contention to qualify, and athletes need to be within the top 9 when the qualification window closes in June.
