dodge

They’ll be published today. The final world tour events in both men’s and women’s finished today 

1980 Olympic bronze medal winner boxer Hugh Russell has passed away aged 63. 
 
Between 1964 and 1992, Ireland only won 3 Olympic medals and Hugh’s bronze in Moscow was one of them - the only boxing medal won in those 6 Olympic Games. 
 
He later went on to be a successful photographer

1980 Olympic bronze medal winner boxer Hugh Russell has passed away aged 63. 
 
Between 1964 and 1992, Ireland only won 3 Olympic medals and Hugh’s bronze in Moscow was one of them - the only boxing medal won in those 6 Olympic Games. 
 
He later went on to be a successful photographer

3rd & 4th from the world championships (who were 2nd & 3rd in 2022)
 
2nd in Tokyo Olympics 
 
2023 World Cup winner
 
4 men looking for 2 available pommel horse sports next year. I said it earlier but 2 genuine medal contenders will miss out 

Yessssss!  

3rd & 4th from the world championships (who were 2nd & 3rd in 2022)
 
2nd in Tokyo Olympics 
 
2023 World Cup winner
 
4 men looking for 2 available pommel horse sports next year. I said it earlier but 2 genuine medal contenders will miss out 

Yessssss!  

Yessssss!  

Yessssss!  

Alexei Lutsenko has won the Asian games time trial for  
 
Its worth 70 UCI points and puts them ahead of Eritrea for 20th position 

The Rings quota is between
 
 Eleftherios Petrounias 
 Nikita Simonov 
 Vincenz Hoeck 
 Artur Avetisyan 
 Vahagn Davtyan
 
Whoever finishes first between them will qualify. There will be 2 places available per apparatus through the Word Cup ranking next year (January to March)
 

They did not attend the qualification tournament, because it was useless. The event turned into an open entry event, so no need to send athletes to qualifiers (and save money), unlike its NA neighbour :P

Really shocking to see Kazakhstan with only 2 qualifiers. With GB only having one man qualified, and Cuba and the USA with small teams for the Pan Am qualifiers, the world tournaments could be chaos next year!

No, they still counting :D

Ireland have Mia Griffen at WT level but she has had a disastrous year with injury. She’ll hopefully be part of the pursuit team. So will Lara Gillespie, who’s probably our best cyclist. 
 
Megan Armitage is the likely choice. If they get the spot of course 

Alexei Lutsenko has won the Asian games time trial for  
 
Its worth 70 UCI points and puts them ahead of Eritrea for 20th position 

I’ll have a go for  
 
Athletics - 15
 
Quietly optimistic about Irish athletics. I’m hoping Rhasidat Adeleke continues her development at 400m. We’d need at least one relay team to reach 15 but I think we can do it
 
Badminton - 1
 
Just Nhat Nguyen in the mens
 
Boxing - 8
 
5 women and 3 men. Amy Broadhurst has moved to 66kg and I’m predicting she’ll win gold in Paris. 2 medals in Tokyo, we will surpass that
 
Canoe Slalom - 1
 
We have 3 decent C1 paddlers and they’ll get one of the quotas and fight for it between them
 
Cycling Road - 3
 
2 men and 1 woman for the first time. Mia Griffin is a world tour rider this year and I’m putting her down in hope more than expectation
 
Cycling Track - 4
 
the women’s pursuit team will qualify and compete in the madison too
 
Diving - 2
 
Hopeful that Tanya Watson will return and Jake Passmore graduates from the junior ranks
 
Equestrian - 7
 
show jumping and eventing are already in. We’ll add a solo dressage competitor. The show jumping team will win a medal. 
 
Golf - 4
 
Any number of men could join McIlroy. Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow will go to their 3rd games. Medal chances in men’s and women’s 
 
Gymnastics - 2
 
Rhys McClenaghan in pommel and an all round woman, probably Emma Slevin. Hoping our world champ can get that Olympic medal 
 
Modern Pentathlon - 1
 
Natalya Coyle is rumoured to be on the comeback trail. Sive Brassil may qualify too 
 
Rowing - 18
 
Mens and women’s fours. Men’s and women’s lightweight sculls. Men’s and women’s pair. Women’s double. 2 medals with McCarthy and O’Donovan retaining gold. 
 
Rugby 7s - 24
 
Initially I was pessimistic about our chances to qualify but I now think our men will win at the Euro qualifier and the women will get in at the last chance qualifier. Medal chance for the men (outside)
 
Sailing - 3
 
49er and Laser Radial. Laser is a possibility too. Going young Eve McMahon gets the nod at radial 
 
Swimming - 6
 
No relay this time but 6 individual with Daniel Wiffen being an outside chance of a medal in the distance events in the pool
 
Taekwondo - 1
 
Jack Woolley will make his second games and anything could happen. 
 
Other sports were we have chances to qualify include Hockey (very much a down year for men and women), Triathlon (our Olympians effectively took 2022 off), weightlifting (because the qualification rules are insane) and shooting (men’s and women’s trap are somewhat competitive).

I would say there’s a less than zero chance McIlroy would agree to that. Leona Maguire might be a good shout if you want a golfer to do it. Lowry would absolutely agree to it 
 
For me I’d like to see rowing represented for the first time since 1976. Considering she re-started Irish rowing almost single-handedly, I’d give it to Sanita Puspure in her final event (if qualified of course)

Boxing have had the last 3(!) so maybe another sport. If going with a male athlete, Mark English would be a good lifetime achievement award and a rep for Athletics
 

I realise some of you traditionalists don’t agree but I really enjoy the kayak cross event 

I think Tarling wins gold in the men’s TT. Ganna silver and Remco bronze. 
 
I think Reusser wins gold in the women’s. Dygart silver and one of the Dutch women wins bronze 

And medals won by crews who qualified at the final regatta
 
GOLD
 mens eight
 
SILVER
 women's pair
 
BRONZE
 men's pair
 women's quad
 women's four
 women's eight

Boat spots won at the final regatta in 2021
 
4  
3  
2  
1  
 
New Zealand, mentioned above, qualified their men's eight.  Lithuania got the men's quad when (not) Russia had a doping violation

I think Tarling wins gold in the men’s TT. Ganna silver and Remco bronze. 
 
I think Reusser wins gold in the women’s. Dygart silver and one of the Dutch women wins bronze 

Meanwhile 3 from the slalom canoeists?  Don't think many of us saw that coming
 
I thought one (C1) and hoped for men's K1 (as there was 15 spots) but didn't see a women's spot popping up. Great stuff

Interesting one to watch in boxing later today at the tournament in Poland
 
Lisa O'Rourke and Grainne Walsh are in the final against each other.  Amy Broadhurst got the nod for the European Games but there's 3 of them going for the one spot there at 66kg