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Thirty UCD sporting students and alumni athletes have been officially selected as part of Team Ireland to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

This is the largest ever cohort of University College Dublin sports stars to compete at the Olympics.

UCD College of Business will be represented by two current students and six alumni.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Eve McMahon, Sailing, Women's Dinghy
UCD Quinn School, Commerce International (Stage 2), Ad Astra Academy Elite
Competition times: 01 Aug - Race 1/2, 02 Aug - Race 3/4, 03 Aug - Race 5/6, 04 Aug - Race 7/8, 05 Aug - Race 9/10, 06 Aug - Medal Race 

Emily Lane, Rugby Sevens
UCD Smurfit School, Masters in Project Management, Ad Astra Academy Elite
Competition times: 28 July 14.30 - Ireland v Great Britain, 18.00 - Ireland v South Africa, 29 July 13.30 - Ireland v Australia from 20.00 – Quarters, 30 July - Semi Finals & Finals

ALUMNI

Eimear Lambe, Rowing, Women's 4
Commerce International (2019), Ad Astra Academy Elite
Competition times: 28 July 11.30 – Heats, 01 Augs 09.5 / 10.50 - Final B / A

Benjamin Walker, Hockey
Commerce (2021)
Competition times:  Group Games: 27 July 09:30 - Ireland v Belgium, 29 July 09:00 - Ireland v Australia, 30 July 12:15 - Ireland v India, 01 Aug 12:15 - Argentina v Ireland, 02 Aug 16:00 - Ireland v New Zealand
Knock outs: 04 Aug - Quarter Final, 06 Aug - Semi Final, 08 Aug - Bronze Medal Match / Gold Medal Match

Gavin Mullin, Rugby Sevens
Business & Law (2021), Ad Astra Academy Elite & UCD Sport Scholar

Hugo Keenan, Rugby Sevens
Commerce (2018), UCD Sport Scholar

Niall Comerford, Rugby Sevens
Commerce (2023), Ad Astra Academy Elite & UCD Sport Scholar

Terry Kennedy, Rugby Sevens
Commerce (2018)

Rugby Sevens Competition times: 24 July 16.30 - Ireland v South Africa, 20.00 - Ireland v Japan, 25 July 15.30 - Ireland v New Zealand from 20.00 – Quarters, 27 July - Semi Finals & Finals

Nearly two dozen of UCD’s Olympians are past and current UCD Ad Astra Academy Elite Sports Scholars or recipients of UCD Sport scholarships.

Competing across a range of events including cycling, hockey, rowing, rugby, track and field, sailing, and swimming, the athletes will begin their Olympic journey by sailing down the river Seine on the 26 July as part of the Games’ Opening Ceremony.

“We are very proud of all our UCD students and alumni who are travelling to Paris with Team Ireland to compete in the 2024 Olympics,” said UCD President Professor Orla Feely. “You are truly wonderful role models for our students and our entire community. Your skill, dedication, practice, and focus have brought you to the pinnacle of your sport.”

“UCD students, faculty and staff are behind you and cheering you on every step of the way. Táimid an-bhródúil asaibh,” added President Feely.

Celebrate UCD's Olympic & Paralympic legacy
At the 2024 Games, four current UCD students will compete – undergraduates and Ad Astra Academy fellows sailing ace Eve McMahon, who recently won her second world title, and hammer thrower Nicola Tuthill, who took silver at the European Throwing Cup and gold at the National Senior Track and Field Championships.

Targeting Olympic medals with Ireland’s Women's 7s squad will be UCD postgraduate students Claire Boles and Emily Lane.
Alongside these students, UCD will see 23 alumni compete across the three weeks in France, many of whom previously represented the University during their studies including Olympic gold medallist Paul O'Donovan, Olympic bronze medallist Eimear Lambe, and four-time European Athletics Championship medallist Ciara Mageean.

Current UCD students competing in Paris, Eve McMahon, Claire Boles, Emily Lane and Nicola Tuthill  Credit: Sportsfile

All UCD Olympians for Paris 2024
Current Student    Sport    Event Date    Academic Programme    Scholarship
Eve McMahon    Sailing, Women's Dinghy    Thursday, 1 August    Commerce (Stage 2)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Nicola Tuthill    Athletics, Hammer    Sunday, 4 August    Science (Stage 2)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Emily Lane    Rugby Sevens    Sunday, 28 July    Masters in Project Management    Ad Astra Academy Elite
Claire Boles    Rugby Sevens    Sunday, 28 July    PHD in Chemical & Bioprocess Engineering    Graduate Scholar

Swimmers Darragh Greene and Erin Riordan, Cyclist Lara Gillespie, and 2020 Olympic medal winners in rowing Paul O'Donovan and Eimear Lambe are all UCD graduates Credit: Sportsfile

Alum    Sport    Event Date    Academic Programme    Scholarship
Ciara Mageean    Athletics, 1500m    Tuesday, 6 August    Physiotherapy (2017)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Luke McCann    Athletics, 1500m    Friday, 2 August    MSc Engineering (2023)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Mark English    Athletics, 800m    Wednesday, 7 August    Medicine (2019)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Sarah Healy    Athletics, 1500m    Tuesday, 6 August    Law (2023)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Sarah Lavin    Athletics, 100m Hurdles    Wednesday, 7 August    Physiotherapy (2018)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Lara Gillespie    Cycling, Team Pursuit    Tuesday, 6 August    Health & Performance Science (2022)     Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Ben Johnson    Hockey Men's    Saturday, 27 July    Social Science (2023)      
Benjamin Walker    Hockey Men's    Saturday, 27 July    Commerce (2021)     
Jeremy Duncan    Hockey Men's    Saturday, 27 July    Physiotherapy (2016)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Shane O'Donoghue    Hockey Men's    Saturday, 27 July    Sports & Exercise Management (2014)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Paul O'Donovan    Rowing, Men's Lightweight Double Scull    Sunday, 28 July    Physiotherapy (2017)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Eimear Lambe    Rowing, Women's 4    Sunday, 28 July    International Commerce (2019)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Bryan Mollen    Rugby Sevens    Wednesday, 24 July    Economics (2020)      
Eve Higgins    Rugby Sevens    Sunday, 28 July    MSc Criminology & Criminal Justice (2023)    Ad Astra Academy Elite & UCD Graduate Scholar
Gavin Mullin    Rugby Sevens    Wednesday, 24 July    Business & Law (2021)     Ad Astra Academy Elite & UCD Sport Scholar
Harry McNulty    Rugby Sevens    Wednesday, 24 July    BSc Food Science (2017)    UCD Sport Scholar
Hugo Keenan    Rugby Sevens    Wednesday, 24 July    Commerce (2018)    UCD Sport Scholar
Lucy Rock    Rugby Sevens    Sunday, 28 July    HDip Mathematical Studies (2020), Science (2020)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Megan Burns    Rugby Sevens    Sunday, 28 July    Physiotherapy (2022)     
Niall Comerford    Rugby Sevens    Wednesday, 24 July    Commerce (2023)    Ad Astra Academy Elite & UCD Sport Scholar
Terry Kennedy    Rugby Sevens    Wednesday, 24 July    Commerce (2018)     
Darragh Greene    Swimming, 100m Breast Stroke    Saturday, 27 July    Dip Sports Management (2018)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 
Erin Riordan    Swimming, Relay    Saturday, 27 July    Science (2021)    Ad Astra Academy Elite 

“As Director of the UCD Ad Astra Academy I am thrilled to see so many of our current and alumni elite sports stars selected for the 2024 Olympics in Paris,” said Professor Barbara Dooley, Director of Ad Astra Academy.

“Through membership of the Ad Astra Elite Sports Academy, students competing to international standards are encouraged and supported to develop their sporting talent, whilst pursuing their degree. Through mentoring and innovative supports, these exceptional sport stars can reach for the stars, reflected in our motto Ad Astra.

Dominic O’Keeffe, Director Of Student Services And Facilities, added: "Everyone at UCD Sport extends our best wishes to our current and former student-athletes representing Team Ireland at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.”

"It is inspiring to see the continuous development of world-class sporting facilities and professional coaching staff at UCD bringing about such representation. Your dedication and years of preparation have led you to this moment. We are all supporting you from Belfield. Make your mark and give it your all.”

At the 2020 Games in Japan, 24 UCD alumni and students flew the flag for Ireland, of whom 20 were past or then current UCD Ad Astra Academy scholars.

It was UCD graduate Eimear Lambe who won Ireland's first medal of the Games, with a bronze for the Women’s Four in rowing. Her podium finish was a first for Irish female rowers as the team was only the second ever female crew from Ireland to reach an Olympic final.

Also making history in Tokyo was UCD alumnus Paul O’Donovan, with the Skibbereen native becoming the first Irish rower, alongside teammate Fintan McCarthy, to win Olympic gold in rowing.
 

As part of the Irish Hockey team in Paris, UCD will be represented by graduates Ben Johnson, Benjamin Walker, Jeremy Duncan, and Shane O'Donoghue Credit: Sportsfile

For the 2024 Paralympic Games in August, UCD is currently represented by alumnus Colin Judge among the 17 athletes so far announced by Team Ireland.

The 30 UCD sporting students and alumni athletes selected to represent Team Ireland in Paris will be doing so as Ireland marks 100 years of participation at the Olympic Games.

For the centenary celebrations, UCD Sport, in association with sports historian Dr Tom Hunt, has compiled a list of some 85 UCD graduates that have competed in the Olympics or Paralympic Games since Ireland’s first Olympics in 1924.