Olympics 2024: Record number of UCD sports stars to fly the flag for Team Ireland in Paris
- Date: Wed, Jul 24, 2024
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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.
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