Olympic Council of Ireland announces aquatics and equestrian athletes for Rio 2016

  • 16 June 2016, 16:41

Olympic Council of Ireland announces aquatics and equestrian athletes for Rio 2016

 

16 June 2016 – Dublin, Ireland: The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) is today delighted to announce jointly with Horse Sport Ireland and Swim Ireland, that a further 10 athletes have been selected to represent Team Ireland at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

 

Today’s formal selections for equestrian cover the disciplines of dressage, eventing and show jumping. In aquatics, formal selections were made for three swimmers and, for the first time since 1948, an Irish diver, Oliver Dingley, will compete at the Olympic Games. These additions to Team Ireland bring the total number of selected athletes for Rio 2016 to 50 from 10 sports.

 

Further formal announcements are to be made in athletics and boxing, whilst the sports still to be added to the final team are cycling, golf, hockey and hopefully rugby.

 

Kevin Kilty, Team Ireland’s Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, said:

 

“With Team Ireland comprising so many different sports, Rio 2016 will be one of the most diverse and exciting Olympic Games for our athletes. As we hit 50 days to go the public are now really getting behind the team and supporting all the athletes.”

 

There will be a number of firsts for Team Ireland at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, including:

 

  • the first time that an Irish golfer will compete
  • the first time since 1948 that an Irish diver will compete
  • the first time since 1948 that a team sport is being contested with men’s hockey
  • the first time Team Ireland will enter three boats in rowing
  • the first time that an Irish woman will compete in gymnastics

 

The fourth group of selected athletes is made up of:

 

Horse Sport Ireland

 

Eventing Team

Clare Abbott with Euro Prince

Jonty Evans with Cooley Rorke’s Drift

Mark Kyle with Jemilla

Padraig McCarthy with either Simon Porloe or Bernadette Utopia,

 

Travelling Reserve: Camilla Speirs with Portersize Just A Jiff

 

Dressage

Judy Reynolds with Vancouver K

 

Show Jumping

Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global

 

Swim Ireland

Fiona Doyle – Women’s 100m Breaststroke

Oliver Dingley – Men’s 3m Springboard Diving

Nicholas Quinn – Men’s 200m Breaststroke

Shane Ryan – Men’s 100m Backstroke

 

ENDS

 

For more information:

Contact: Nick Dawes, Olympic Council of Ireland

Telephone: +447557435851

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