Pure gold from our Olympic athletes

What an Olympics it has been, both for Ireland and also for Tallaght and the South Dublin region, reports Stephen Farrell.

There have been so many highlights from the Games, even from a local point of view, that it is difficult to know where to begin.

Perhaps Ireland’s most well-known track athlete is Tallaght Athletic club member Rhasidat Adeleke, who had what may turn out to be a career-defining Olympics.

Having run so brilliantly at the European Championships in Italy in June expectations were high that she would win medals at the Olympics too.

However, the Olympic Games are a significant step up from the Europeans.

In the 400m final she ran hard for the first 200 metres and was in third position for a time coming off the final bend but had to settle for fourth as she stretched for the line.

Jack Woolley of Team Ireland after his defeat by Gashim Magomedov of Team Azerbaijan in the men’s -58kg round of 16 at the Grand Palais during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France Photo by Sportsfile

The following evening Rhasidat lined out for the Irish women’s 400m relay team in the final where they agonisingly missed out on a bronze medal by less than a fifth of a second.

Perhaps Ireland’s greatest Olympian is Kellie Harrington of St Mary’s boxing club in Tallaght who secured her second gold medal in Paris in the lightweight 60kg division.

The 34-year-old from Portland Row in Dublin became the first Irish woman ever to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

Further, by being the first Irish boxer to contest and win back-to-back Olympic Finals Kellie has become the most successful Irish boxer in the Olympics.

Rhasidat Adeleke of Team Ireland, left, in action during the women’s 400m semi-finals at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France Photo by Sportsfile

One of the first competitions held in Paris was the rugby sevens in which the Irish men’s team took part, and a common refrain of radio reports of their matches was “That man, Terry Kennedy”.

The St Mary’s clubman scored several tries for an Irish team that performed well, exiting only at the quarter-final stage against Olympic seven’s specialists Fiji and finishing 6th overall.

Templeogue Swimming Club’s Ellen Walshe also had what may turn out to be a pivotal Games in her swimming career finishing 8th in the 400m Individual Medley (IM) final, 13th in the 200m IM semi-final and 22nd in the 100m butterfly.

Turning to Taekwondo, Tallaght star Jack Woolley did his club South Dublin Taekwondo and Tallaght proud in these Olympics.

The Tallaght star lost his opening bout against the finalist Gashim Magomedov of Azerbaijan and his second bout by the tiniest of margins against Spain’s number two seed Adrian Vincente Yunta and finished 7th overall.

Returning to the boxing ring Grainne Walsh, also of St Mary’s Boxing Club, Tallaght, exited the games in her preliminary match against the Hungarian Anne Luca Hamori, on a controversial 4-1 decision.

In hockey Ireland men’s team finished 5th in Group B which included a 2-1 win over New Zealand with Glenanne’s Shane O’Donoghue playing a crucial role on the team.

After such a successful games the homecoming on Monday was a joyous occasion with some of our local Olympians present.

Thousands turned out, including many children, in O’Connell Street amidst a sea of waving Irish flags.

To chants of “Olé, Olé” ringing out the athletes gathered on the stage, including boxers Kellie Harrington and Grainne Walsh.

Further chants, this time of “Kellie, Kellie”, broke out with the St Mary’s boxer admitting that she was “looking forward to have . . . time to myself” and who also thanked the crowd and the public for their support during the Olympics.