Team Ireland - Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker Road to Paris 2024

[dodge 865]

LW double were third in Lucerne. Italy stole a march to win, neck and neck with Swiss all the way. 
 

Best case scenario, Fintan is recovering and this is a kick in the arse for them

[Cosmo Kramer 6]

Lightweight doubles pushed down to third in their final. Well beaten by the Italians and the Swiss beat them two days in a row. Still very likely to win a medal at the games but no longer looking like our best gold medal hope.

 

While we have arguably more medal potential at these Olympics than any previous to this, it's getting more and more difficult to see where any golds might come from.

Edited May 26 by Cosmo Kramer

[Cosmo Kramer 6]

Fourth for Bergin and Hyde in their race. Overall a disappointing event for Ireland and the concerns about our rowing hopes going in to Paris remain. If anything, with O'Donovan and McCarthy playing catch-up in the lightweights, things are probably worse than expected. Plenty of scope to make finals at Paris, but improvement needed if there is to be any more than a single rowing medal in these games for us.

Edited May 26 by Cosmo Kramer

[OlympicIRL 5,003]

I think today's rowing results at the World Cup highlight what we have been fearing, our rowing teams have a lot of work to do to be ready for the Olympics. There are similarities to last year when our teams didn't fire for the Europeans but were on top form at the World Championships but I am definitely more worried this time.

[Ogreman 269]

Guys guys guys, Ok today wasn't great but I feel like we had this exact same conversation at the equivalent point last year.

 

The LM2x will be fine. It lost, not ideal but its fine. It lost last year too. Still the overwhelming favourite for gold in the boatclass.

The M2x is also fine, dissapointing it wasn't here but it should be favoured for a medal along with the Netherlands and probably Romania's new combination. There are a lot of contenders but it is still a favourite right now.

The M2- is injured and finished 6th at world cup iii last year. I don't know if it ultimately medals but it is in the exact same spot it was last year.

Also in the same spot as last year is the W2- which is unfortunate because it looks likely we will finish fourth but it is rare that the Olympics goes exactly to form and we are right there if something goes wrong for one of Netherlands, Australia or Romania.

The W2x is right in the mix although it has underperformed in both finals this year which is concerning but this boatclass is wide open behind the Romanians (assuming they regain their form after a dissapointing Europeans). The US won today, Australia's new double looks impressive, Norway have looked good but I would kind of expect them to regress a bit as the year goes on. Lithuania have struggled this season but could return to form and then there is us. We are on track to make the A final and it is anybody's race from there.

The LW2x, not a particularly encouraging regatta all right but we really aren't that far away and we know how close this boatclass will end up being.

 

For me nothings changed, we have in very similar circumstances won 3 world championships medals in both of the last 2 years. That is still my expectation. LM2x to win gold, M2x to finish second or third and one of the other boats to push their way onto the podium, Maybe it goes wrong but I don't understand why we are expecting it to go wrong given this season has looked exactly the same as last year and fairly similar to 2022 as well.

[OlympicIRL 5,003]

1 hour ago, Ogreman said:

Guys guys guys, Ok today wasn't great but I feel like we had this exact same conversation at the equivalent point last year.

 

The LM2x will be fine. It lost, not ideal but its fine. It lost last year too. Still the overwhelming favourite for gold in the boatclass.

The M2x is also fine, dissapointing it wasn't here but it should be favoured for a medal along with the Netherlands and probably Romania's new combination. There are a lot of contenders but it is still a favourite right now.

The M2- is injured and finished 6th at world cup iii last year. I don't know if it ultimately medals but it is in the exact same spot it was last year.

Also in the same spot as last year is the W2- which is unfortunate because it looks likely we will finish fourth but it is rare that the Olympics goes exactly to form and we are right there if something goes wrong for one of Netherlands, Australia or Romania.

The W2x is right in the mix although it has underperformed in both finals this year which is concerning but this boatclass is wide open behind the Romanians (assuming they regain their form after a dissapointing Europeans). The US won today, Australia's new double looks impressive, Norway have looked good but I would kind of expect them to regress a bit as the year goes on. Lithuania have struggled this season but could return to form and then there is us. We are on track to make the A final and it is anybody's race from there.

The LW2x, not a particularly encouraging regatta all right but we really aren't that far away and we know how close this boatclass will end up being.

 

For me nothings changed, we have in very similar circumstances won 3 world championships medals in both of the last 2 years. That is still my expectation. LM2x to win gold, M2x to finish second or third and one of the other boats to push their way onto the podium, Maybe it goes wrong but I don't understand why we are expecting it to go wrong given this season has looked exactly the same as last year and fairly similar to 2022 as well.

I do understand there are similarities to last year which does provide some solace but at the same time this is an Olympic year. The competition is always multiple times steeper in an Olympic year so being able to turn things around is a much harder ask this year. I think the only boat I have confidence in turning around their season is McCarthy and O’Donovan. I think they’ll be much quicker and fitter come the Olympics. None of the women’s boats are particularly impressing me right now but I don’t want to sound too harsh, it’s good that we are in the mix for A finals but I think we will be just outside the medals come Paris. I would absolutely love to be wrong and I may very well be as I have no inside knowledge.

Edited May 26 by OlympicIRL

[duineeile 3]

Good win for Kelyn Cassidy in the light heavy round of 32 at the Olympic qualifiers in Bangkok, RSC win in round 3 against 🇮🇳 

 

Regards the rowing, the fact that Italy beat Switzerland gives me a little more confidence as it may mean the Irish lads are just a bit behind where they could be and building their way into the season, and that Switzerland are not necessarily an unstoppable and ever improving crew. I know Italy changed up one of their crew members last year too with Soares coming in for Ruta, but I still fancy the Irish lads to win gold in Paris. 

[duineeile 3]

4-1 last 32 victories at the Final Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Bangkok yesterday for Aidan Walsh (71kg) against 🇩🇿 and for Jennifer Lehane (54kg) against 🇵🇷.  Walsh faces 2021 World Champion from 🇺🇦 today in a very tough last 16 bout while Lehane is also up against 🇺🇦 on Saturday in the last 16.

 

Martin McDonagh had an RSC1 victory in his last 32 bout against 🇻🇳 this morning, I think he could be a real dark horse for qualification, only edged out on 3-2 split decision at last tournament in Italy against Latypov, a Russian fighting for 🇧🇭, and may well face the same opponent in the quarter finals if he wins his next bout.

 

Along with Aidan Walsh, Gráinne Walsh is in action today in her 66kg Round of 32 against a potentially very tricky opponent from 🇰🇵, really hope she pulls through 

[dodge 865]

This afternoon's bouts

 

66kg Rd32 Grainne Walsh v  

71kg Rd16 Aidan Walsh v  

 

Tomorrow morning bouts

80kg Rd16 Kelyn Cassidy v  

 

Tomorrow afternoon bouts

51kg Rd32 Sean Mari v  

 

 

Four tricky fights there. Suspect these are the big ones for Walsh, Walsh and Cassidy (though Aidan has no picnic in the next if he gets through)

 

[duineeile 3]

Unanimous decision win for Gráinne Walsh against North Korean fighter, progresses to the last 16, 2 wins away from Paris. 9 wins from 9 for Ireland so far at these qualifiers, hopefully Aidan Walsh can make it 10 from 10 later.