Team Ireland Daily Diary at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

[mpjmcevoy 362]

12 hours ago, Cosmo Kramer said:

Interesting to start to hear about the next steps for our medal winners after Paris. Paul O'Donovan obviously having to change boat but McClenaghan talking about expanding into more gymnastics disciplines. McSharry sadly sounding like she's going to pack it in. Possibly Fintan McCarthy also? Wiffen's just getting started I'd imagine.

Rhys obviously has had a bit of crossover already with his wins, but the Olympics is a different beast, even in Ireland. There is a core of pretty decent European standard gymnasts in the fold, so we may be coming to the next phase when one superstar starts creating a bit of a wave for the sport more generally. boxing is going to be in an absolute global shambles post Games so who the hell knows where that goes, but as we see with rowing, one small ember can quickly become a useful program if it catches alight.

In swimming McSharry has served her country proud; if she goes, she goes with our blessings and thanks. tom Fannon looks very useful going forward, Wiffen ain't gong no-where, and I have a sneaky feeling we may pick up some more after Dan and Mona (and Ellen and Tom's) heroics.

[mpjmcevoy 362]

1 hour ago, Ogreman said:

Not at the games, just haven't posted much during the games so apologies for that. Just haven't had as much time as I would have needed to do some of the things I had kind of wanted to get done. On the boxing, I just haven't had that many sophisticated thoughts on it beyond erratic judging and a dissapointing Irish display that I haven't fully got my head around. I missed a few sessions that I haven't had the chance to catch up on and the majority of the rest with the exception of the Irish fights it has been my second/third screen and boxing kind of needs your full focus. (plus that boxing thread has descended into some form of madness I do not think I can tame.)

That said I do think my predictions/ rankings ultimately held up a little better than they were trending towards after the first few days but I won't have a full look back on them until after the boxing finishes and those first couple of days were just me wondering how I had spent so much time watching all of these fellas only to get so much so badly wrong.

This does remind me I need to do a wrap up of my rowing form rankings but I was planning to update them daily and just didn't in the end.

But yeah there were other things I wanted to do even smaller pieces of analysis on and just didn't get around to but I will post most of my thoughts once the games are over.

So apologies, but it's nice to know someone misses me when I go somewhat quiet on this forum.

Glued to the Games themselves, I'm afraid!!

[OlympicIRL 5,525]

Clear round for Shane Sweetnam in the individual jumping qualifier  

[OlympicIRL 5,525]

Clear round too for Daniel Coyle! 

[Cosmo Kramer 24]

Obviously a huge shame for Mageean. It was clear in recent weeks that she was off so not a huge surprise that she's dropped out. She's been cursed with injuries throughout her career but hopefully she will get back and get a good run at the Worlds next year.

[Cosmo Kramer 24]

You just can't rely on the showjumpers. Or really on any of the "on the day" type events - 7s Rugby, golf etc. they hardly ever work out for us.

[duineeile 5]

16 minutes ago, Cosmo Kramer said:

You just can't rely on the showjumpers. Or really on any of the "on the day" type events - 7s Rugby, golf etc. they hardly ever work out for us.

Yeah that was very disappointing, Coyle looked to be flying it but it can all come apart so quickly in showjumping unfortunately. Difficult morning all round for Ireland

[Cosmo Kramer 24]

Yeah, easily the worst session of the games for us. Even Passmore contriving to throw away a semi-final spot in the diving there.

 

This morning has been a real throwback to the bad old days of Ireland at the Olympics after the highs of last week.

[duineeile 5]

Hopefully tonight will be better!

[Cosmo Kramer 24]

Outstanding from Harrington, boxing her way to gold with a smile on her face. Delighted for Zaur as well.

 

Four gold medals, in four different sports, in one Olympics. Ireland's greatest ever sporting achievement.

 

We are TWELFTH in the medal table tonight.