Each weekend we select three performances from Irish sport that are worthy of highlighting. This weekend we had to more than double that to seven, such was the level of excellence on show over the weekend and around the world.
This week’s Champions of the Weekend is brought to us by AIG, one of Sport for Business’ partners and backers of our coverage of the 50 Women of Influence in Irish Sport list we produce each year.
Irish Golfers
Rory McIlroy with his 27th win on the US PGA Tour, Shane Lowry following him in second place at Pebble Beach and Seamus Power in 17th place was a stunning display of Irish golfing strength at the latest signature event of the year. Only the US had more golfers in the Top 20.
Add in Leona Maguire shooting ten under par to finish ninth at the Tournament of Champions on the LPGA Tour and it was some weekend.
Galopin Des Champs
The atmosphere at Leopardstown on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival was very special. Over 18,000 fans made their way to the track and seeming around the winners enclosure as Paul Townend rode the winner back. In winning he became the first horse since Florida Pearl to win three in a row Paddy Power Irish Gold Cups.
Better still he is now in poll position to become the first Irish horse since Arkle in 1966 to win three in a row Cheltenham Gold Cups in a little under six weeks time.
Irish Rugby
It may not have started well but for enough of a spell in the second half Ireland played like the best team in the world against England on Saturday, securing a winning start in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations and allowing dreams of another Grand Slam to take flight for at least another week.
Kildare Ladies Football
She may have been born in Louth but Kildare has long laid claim to the home of Brigid and as if to mark the Matron saint of Ireland’s feast they produced the upset of the Gaelic Games season so far with a three point win over Dublin in the Lidl National League.
Kate O’Connor
Kate O’Connor, who became Ireland’s first ever heptathlete to compete at an Olympic Games in Paris last year, equalled or bettered her indoor personal bests in all five of her events at the World Athletics Combined Events Tour in Estonia to finish the competition in second place on 4,683 points. The total bettered her old mark set back in 2023 by 287 points. She also secured qualification to the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn next month.
Andrew Coscoran and Sarah Healy
Andrew Coscoran and Sarah Healy broke Irish 3000m records at the prestigious New Balance Indoor Grand Prix meeting in Boston on Sunday night.
Coscoran took eight seconds off the national record of Alistair Cragg set a full 20 years ago, while Healy smashed her own record and both are now also qualified for the European Indoor Championships.
Irish Tennis Davis Cup Team
The Irish Tennis team won their away game against Saudi Arabia 5-0 over the weekend, securing a place in the World Group 1 Playoffs later in the year. The team of Michael Agwi, Osgar O’Hoisin, David O’Hare, Freddy Murray and Ammar Elamin was captained by Conor Niland and David O’Hare.
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