Paul O’Donovan has been named as the RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year for 2024.
He was present at the RTÉ Studios last night to receive his award, a tribute to his one silver and two gold medals at the last three Olympic Games, before heading back down South for a shift at Cork University Hospital starting at 7AM this morning.
Róisín Ní Riain was named RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year as 2024 saw her became a double Paralympic medallist, taking home a Silver and Bronze Medal at this year’s Games in Paris for the 100m Backstroke S13 and 200m Individual Medley SM13, as well as Double Gold at the European Championships in the 100m back and 100m breaststroke.
On a great night for Paralympics Ireland, Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly were this year’s winners of the RTÉ Sport Team of the Year award as they took home gold and silver medals in Road Cycling at this year’s Paris 2024 Games and became Double World Champions.
Willie Mullins was revealed as the RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year as he became the first champion trainer both sides of the Irish Sea since Vincent O’Brien in 1954. 2024 also saw him achieve record breaking Grade 1s in a year including eight at Cheltenham while also picking up the Aintree Grand National with “I Am Maximus”.
The fifth award of the night was for Irish Olympian and former professional boxer, Michael Carruth who was inducted into the
RTÉ Sport Hall of Fame. The Welterweight boxer took home a Gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Ireland’s first at the time since 1956.
All of the winners were present in the room alongside stars from this one of a kind sporting year, and those behind the scenes who keep the show on the road. Jarlath Burns and Tom Ryan from the GAA were there alongside Declan Madden, President of the IRFU, Lochlann Walsh, newly elected President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paul Cooke President and CEO David Courell from the FAI and many more.
I was fortunate enough to be sitting alongside Sinéad Galvin and David McHugh, representatives of Ní Ríain and O’Donovan respectively who are helping to guide them through their careers in the pool and on the water.
O’Donovan is the first rower to win the accolade. Among those to have won in the past include Barry McGuigan in 1985, Packie Bonner in 1990, Sonia O’Sullivan on five occasions, Katie Taylor and Padraig Harrington on Three, Rory McIlroy twice and Rhys McClenaghan last year.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
‘Tis the season of awards and this is one of the biggest, broadcast live to the nation and with history on its side dating back to 1985.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Irish Times / Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Award will be presented at a lunch in the Shelbourne Hotel next Friday.
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