Olympics 2024: Team Ireland Results 06.08.24
By Heather Boyle, OFI Head of Communications & Sinéad Naughton, OFI Media Liaison
Tuesday 6th August 2024
Team Ireland’s boxing super star Kellie Harrington has won Olympic GOLD (60kg Lightweight) beating China’s Wenlu Yang 4-1 in Paris tonight, to retain the Olympic title she won in Tokyo.
Ireland’s Kellie Harrington was the first boxing champion crowned at Paris 2024, in the purpose built ring at the iconic Roland Garris stadium, with an audience of 15,000 cheering her on.
Harrington already made history in Paris last Wednesday by becoming the first Irish woman ever to win medals at two Olympic Games.
Tonight, 34-year-old Kellie Harrington of Portland Row in Dublin becomes the first Irish woman ever to win back to back Olympic gold medals.
By being the first Irish boxer ever to contest, and win, back to back Olympic finals Kellie Harrington of St. Mary’s BC in Tallaght becomes the most successful Irish boxer in our 100 year history at the Olympic Games.
Harrington’s Paris 2024 GOLD is the 19th Irish Olympic medal won in the sport of boxing.
Afterwards an overjoyed Harrington spoke of what it meant: “It just gives hope. All these young kids all these teenagers, it give hope to them, it gives hope to the people of Ireland, that’s what it means, but this one was for me.
On the plan Harrington said it was to: “just be happy – happy, smile and enjoy it. It’s the last hurrah – I’m done, I’ve always said that I want to retire a champion – that’s it!”
Harrington gave a masterful display in round one, switching her stance constantly, and expertly deflecting anything that came her way to win it 4-1 on the scoreboard.
She slipped and momentarily hit the deck early in the second but still won it 4- 1. Harrington totally dominated the final round again on a 4-1 score line to win the bout 4-1 on points, and make Irish Olympic history, celebrating then with a very special ring dance, joined by long-time head coach Zuari Anita.
Only three other Irish athletes have won back to back Olympics gold medals; Hammer thrower Dr. Pat O’Callaghan was the very first to do it back in 1928 and 1932, with rowers Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan repeating the feat with their 2020 win, and by becoming Olympic champions in Paris. Kellie Harrington now joins that exclusive club.
Team Ireland has won seven medals at Paris 2024; four gold across four different sports, and three bronze.
Team Ireland’s women’s pursuit team of Mia Griffin, Lara Gillespie, Kelly Murphy, and Alice Sharpe set a brilliant new national record in the qualifying round of the Team Pursuit at the Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome, but narrowly missed out on progressing to the next round.
As has been a running theme at these Games, the low winds in Marseilles led to the postponement of the Men’s Dinghy medal race today. Ireland’s Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club), will have to wait until tomorrow (Wednesday), to get a chance to race for the last time at this regatta.
TRACK CYCLING
The Women's Team Pursuit agonisingly missed out on a place in Wednesday's first round after smashing the national record at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome.
The quartet of Lara Gillespie, Mia Griffin, Kelly Murphy and Alice Sharpe; all racing in their first Olympics, produced a brilliant performance in Tuesday evening's qualifying, posting a new national record of 4:12.447 over the 4km race to finish ninth overall.
With the top eight progressing through to the next round, Team Ireland narrowly missed out, but it was a performance to be proud of on the track, that has been years in the making. This is the first time Ireland has ever qualified in team pursuit at the Olympics, and the Irish quartet executed a superb ride to knock over three seconds off the Irish record.
Kelly Murphy reflected: “This has been the culmination of two years of really hard work. To come to the world’s biggest race and do a big PB is something we’ve been dreaming of and to actually make it a reality today is a real joy, I still can’t quite believe it. I’m really proud of us.”
Alice Sharpe commented: “Our goal was to come and do a PB and race our own race, to see where we are amongst the field and we definitely put in a performance that we’re proud of.”
On becoming an Olympian, Lara Gillespie said: “It’s so cool. The atmosphere is absolutely amazing, it’s what we’ve been all working so hard for and it’s really special to be here with these girls.”
Mia Griffin added: “We punch above our weight for a small nation but we’re a close knit group of girls and I think we put on a display today that we can be so proud of. I’m so happy we put on this performance and know we left everything on the track.”
TOMORROW
GOLF
Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow get their Women's Individual Golf Singles tournament underway at Le Golf National on Wednesday.
The pair represented Team Ireland in Rio and Tokyo and return to the Olympic stage tomorrow harbouring medal hopes at Paris 2024.
Meadow is first on the tee at 8am Irish time, while Maguire gets her round underway at 11.17am Irish time.
Looking ahead to the tournament, Maguire said: "It has been really cool to cheer on the rest of Team Ireland and we're excited to get going tomorrow. It's going to be a really great test and there will be big crowds cheering us on, so we'll do our best to give them some good golf to cheer about."
Meadow added: "It's always a great feeling putting on the Ireland uniform and we're both very excited and very honoured to be here for a third time. It's a great golf course and both of us feel good so it's about believing in ourselves now and making the country proud."
ATHLETICS
A further three Irish athletes will step onto the Stade de France track for the first time tomorrow morning on day twelve of these Olympic Games.
Sarah Lavin, who was one of Team Ireland’s flagbearers at the opening ceremony nearly a fortnight ago, will be in action at her second Games in the Women’s 100m Hurdles heats.
The Limerick woman, who represents Emerald Athletics Club, will settle into her blocks at around 9:15am, knowing a top three finish will see her advance to the semi-final.
Brian Fay will become the first quadruplet to represent Ireland at the Olympics when he goes in the Men’s 5000m heats in what are expected to be searingly hot temperatures at 10:10am. The Raheny Shamrock AC man will need to be in the top eight to advance directly to the final.
Donegal’s Mark English will become a two-time Olympian after he competes in the Men’s 800m. The qualified doctor has lowered his own Irish record in the event twice this season, and will be looking to place in the top three to seal a semi-final spot. He is in heat two at 11:03am.
Meanwhile, Sophie O’Sullivan and Sarah Healy will be back in the repechage of the Women’s 1500m.
O’Sullivan, who ran a personal best in her heat this morning, will go in the first race at 11:45am, with Healy following soon after at 11:57am. Just the top three athletes in each will progress to the semi-finals.
All eyes on Wednesday evening will be focused on Rhasidat Adeleke. The Tallaght sprinter looked to be in good shape in her heat but will have to unleash some more gears if she wants to advance to the Women’s 400m final.
Adeleke will race in the first of three semi-finals at 7:45pm, with the top two automatically advancing to the final. The next two fastest times across the three semi-finals will also earn a lane in Friday’s showdown.
TAEKWONDO
After Dubliner Jack Woolley became the first ever Irish Taekwondo Olympian in Tokyo, he is back to compete in his second Games tomorrow morning at the iconic Grand Palais venue in the heart of Paris.
Woolley, from the South Dublin Taekwondo club in Tallaght, will contest his last 16 match of the Men’s 58kg against Gashin Magomedov of Azerbaijan at 11.48am Irish time.
Magomedov was a bronze medallist at the European Championships this year, and previously a world silver medallist at junior level. They have met before in competition with the head to head at one win each.
SAILING
Not for the first time at this regatta a medal race with Irish interest had to be rescheduled in Marseilles owing to light winds. Carlow’s Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) will contest rescheduled medal race of the Men’s Dinghy in Marseilles having qualified in 10th place.
In the Medal Race the course is shorter and the points scored are doubled, and added to the series points to decide the final standings. Based on the current standings the best possible outcome for Lynch would be an eighth place finish.
RESULTS DAY 11 – MONDAY 6TH AUGUST 2024
Diving, 3m Springboard preliminary, Jake Passmore, score of 360.90, 21st overall, does not progress
Equestrian, Show jumping, Individual Final, Shane Sweetnan,12 pen in 82.03, 22nd overall
Equestrian, Show jumping, Individual Final, Daniel Coyle, Retired during final round, 25th overall
Athletics, Women’s 1500m, Round 1, Sarah Healy, 7th in heat in 4:02.91,through to repechage tomorrow
Athletics, Women’s 1500m, Round 1, Sophie O’Sullivan, 7th in heat in 4:00.23 PB, through to repechage tomorrow
Athletics, Women’s 400m, Repechage, Sophie Becker,2nd in rep in 51.28, does not progress
Athletics, Women’s 400m, Repechage, Sharlene Mawdsley, 3rd in rep in 51.18, does not progress
Sailing, Men’s Dinghy, Finn Lynch - Medal Race – postponed, rescheduled for tomorrow
Track Cycling, Women’s Team Pursuit, Qualifying, Mia Griffin, Lara Gillespie, Kelly Murphy, Alice Sharpe – 9th in NR of 4:12.447, do not progress
Boxing, Women’s Lightweight (60kg) FINAL, Kellie Harrington BEATS Wenlu Yang (CHN) 4-1, GOLD
SCHEDULE DAY 12 – WEDNESDAY 7TH AUGUST 2024
(All times are Irish times – Paris is one hour ahead)
9.00am Golf, Women’s Individual, Round 1, Stephanie Meadow
9.39am Athletics, Women’s 100m Hurdles, heat 4/5, Sarah Lavin
10.30am Athletics, Men’s 5000m, heat2/2, Brian Fay
10.48am Taekwondo, Men’s 58kg, Last 16, Jack Wooley V Gashim Magomedov (AZE)
11.03am Athletics, Men’s 800m, heat 2/6, Mark English
11.45am Athletics, Women’s 1500m, Repechage 1/2, Sophie O’Sullivan
11.57am Athletics, Women’s 1500m, Repechage 2/2, Sarah Healy
12.10pm Sailing, Men’s Dinghy, Finn Lynch – Rescheduled Medal Race
12.17pm Golf, Women’s Individual, Round 1, Leona Maguire
3.32pm Taekwondo, Men’s 58kg, Quarter-final, Jack Wooley *dependent on progression
5.02pm Taekwondo, Men’s 58kg, Semi-final, Jack Wooley *dependent on progression
7.45pm Athletics, Women’s 400m, semi-final 1/3, Rhasidat Adeleke
9.37pm Taekwondo, Men’s 58kg, Gold Medal contest, Jack Wooley *dependent on progression