Sport Ireland has published a new Strategy for High Performance Sport that runs all the way to the Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2032.
Backed by the promise of multi-annual funding from the Government the strategy sets clear targets that we should be an 8-10 medal country at the Olympics and a 12-16 medal country at the Paralympics across the cycle of Tokyo and Paris and that this should then be the benchmark into the future.
Our most successful Olympic Games to date was at London 2012 when we came back with six medals to the target is ambitious.
It is based on detailed analysis looking at performance at European and World Championship level and the conversion of that first into top 10 finishes at the very highest level, and then the conversion of that to podium finishes.
Ireland has been performing well all the way to the final point and an analysis of similar size countries in Denmark and New Zealand is what has drawn the line towards that median number of 9 and 14 medals.
The facilities which athletes have at their disposal now are better than ever before. At a small gathering of media for a rare in-person event yesterday at the Sport Ireland Campus, we were reminded of just how impressive those facilities are and it was great to see a smattering of athletes going about their preparation for the challenges ahead this summer.
We heard from Paul McDermott and Niamh O’Callaghan how Ireland has driven up the number of Top 10 finishes from 9 in Beijing to 14 in London and 16 in Rio. It’s the final conversion that slipped in Rio but there is a quiet confidence among administrators that this will be put right in Tokyo.
The caveat of course is that with so little international competition over the past two years it is hard to get a line on where the opposition is, but that’s sport.
The principles are as important as the numbers and there is a serious programme in place now to make sure the culture in high-performance programmes across all sport is as good as it can be.
“We want to win and win in the right way – not a win at all costs approach and no shortcuts,” says the Strategy document.
Over the course of the next week, we will look at how it was developed through consultation and by a working group led by Liam Sheedy; at the seven key pillars on which it is based and at how the plan is to be implemented.
The launch was boosted yesterday by the announcement of €1.3 million additional Impact Funding with future rounds promised for the third and fourth quarters of 2021. This will cover specific investments looking ahead to Paris 2024.
Quotes from yesterday’s launch:
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD
“The National Sports Policy 2018-2027 tasked Sport Ireland with developing a new long-term strategy for high performance sport and this Strategy clearly sets out challenging but achievable targets. A collaborative approach across the sector will be key to realising these targets and our athletes’ potential. This will be underpinned by significant and sustained investment from Government.”
“High performance sport has the power to inspire us all to lead active lifestyles and over the past year, the successes and performances of our athletes have boosted the nation when we needed it most. I look forward to seeing the impact of this ambitious strategy over the coming years”.
Chair of Sport Ireland High Performance Committee Liam Sheedy
“Ireland can be proud of the achievements of our athletes over the course of the last number of years across a wide variety of sports. Equally we can be proud of the progress made in the high performance system to ensure that the right structures and people are in place for this success to be realised. However, it is imperative that we continue to challenge and improve the system.”
“The Strategy sets out targets and clear actions across seven strategic area which will have a positive impact on our sports and athletes. On behalf of the High Performance Working Group, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the development of this strategy and played a part in shaping the future of high performance sport in Ireland”.
CEO of Sport Ireland John Treacy
“High performance sport in Ireland has made substantial progress in recent years as evidenced by the consistent podium and top ten finishes achieved by Irish athletes and teams on the international stage. The public response to this success demonstrates a real appetite to see Ireland’s high performance system continue to advance. It is sustained investment over many years that has brought increased level of success across the system. The time is right to provide further investment to move to the next level.
“The National Governing Bodies of sport have carried out considerable work to progress their own programmes and with the partnership agreement in place between Sport Ireland and both the Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland, our athletes will be well prepared heading in to Tokyo and subsequent Olympic and Paralympic Games. World class facilities and equipment is one of the strategic pillars of the Strategy.”
“The Sport Ireland Campus is a major statement of the commitment to high performance sport and in will be further developed and expanded in the coming years to really deliver the best possible facilities for existing and emerging athletes. This strategy sets out a blueprint to build on the work already achieved and make sustainable improvement to the system and across our high performance sports. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of this collaborative work in the years to come and the development of future generations of talented athletes”.
Minister of State for Sport, Jack Chambers TD
“Ireland is a proud sporting nation steeped in international success, with many of our fondest memories centred on Ireland’s achievements on the global stage. The inspirational effect of our high performance athletes on the Irish public cannot be overstated. This new High Performance Strategy is ambitious and signals our belief that Irish athletes can compete with the best in the world and win medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and other major international competitions, on a consistent basis. We would like to commend all those who provided input to this strategy, in particular, the members of the High Performance Working Group, Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, National Governing Bodies, Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paralympics Ireland and the Athletes’ Commission”
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