They were, you’d imagine, dancing in the streets of Grange long in to Monday night after the residents of the small seaside hamlet in Co Sligo saw one of their own win herself an Olympic medal. Ian O’Riordan had the honour of witnessing Mona McSharry become only the second Irish swimmer to medal at the Games, 28 years after Michelle Smith de Bruin became the first, when she took bronze in the 100m breaststroke. “I had a bad first 50m, my goggles filled up with water a little bit, so not a perfect race,” she said after, but she somehow overcame that mishap to fulfil a lifetime’s ambition. “I think it’s just the pinnacle of sport, to have all your hard work pay off in something like this.”
Daniel Wiffen will hope all his hard work pays off when he takes to the pool this evening for the 800m freestyle final, Ian hearing from the 23-year-old Armagh man who is the first Irish male swimmer to reach an Olympic final. “Armagh won [the All Ireland], my birthday is on July 14th, Bastille Day, and 100 years since Ireland competed in Paris? It just seems everything is aligning, doesn’t it?” He sounds confident.
Kellie Harrington, meanwhile, got the defence of her gold medal off to an impressive start, beginning these Games, writes Johnny Watterson, “in the way she left off in Tokyo three years ago, full of polish and control”. You can see the full schedule for today at the Olympics by clicking on the link below to continue reading.
Denis Walsh introduces us to “the most powerful Irish person in the wide world of sport”, Cork man Finbarr Kirwan. Having cut his teeth in Irish sport, appointed as the first high performance manager of what is now Sport Ireland more than 20 years ago, he is the current Chief of Olympic Sport USA. Denis talks to him about his journey.
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In Gaelic games, Michael Murphy analyses Armagh’s All-Ireland triumph, doffing his cap to Kieran McGeeney who, he writes, has produced a “managerial masterclass” in his time in charge of his county. Kieran Donaghy, one of McGeeney’s coaching team, echoed that view when he spoke to Gordon Manning, Gordon also hearing from Stefan ‘Soupy’ Campbell, one of the Armagh men who contributed to their success.
Brian O’Connor brings us news from the opening day of the Galway races when English businessman David Dunsdon “sprang a 50/1 shock in Ireland’s “amateur Derby” when riding his own horse Sirius to a spectacular success”. And Brian previews today’s action, Co Meath trainer Brian Duffy hoping “lightning can strike twice”, following his victory two years ago, when he saddles Plume Noir for the festival’s €120,000 Day Two feature.
TV Watch: There is, of course, Olympic coverage through the day on RTÉ, the BBC and Eurosport, and you’ll find the full schedule for the Irish in action here. The highlight ... fingers and toes crossed ... will be Daniel Wiffen’s appearance in the 800m freestyle final (8.02pm). There’s also the men’s individual triathlon and the women’s artistic gymnastics final to keep an eye on, to name but two of the day’s big events.
Tuesday, July 30th
Rowing
- Zoe Hyde, Alison Bergin (Women’s Double Sculls semi-final), 9.50am
- Philip Doyle, Daire Lynch (Men’s Double Sculls semi-final), 10.10am
Hockey
- Ireland v India, 12.15pm
Boxing
- Jennifer Lehane (54Kg round 16), v Yuan Chang, 11.36am
Equestrian
- Abigail Lyle (Dressage Grand Prix qualifier), 1.38pm
Women’s Rugby Sevens
- Ireland v France (5th-8th playoffs), 2pm
Badminton
- Rachel Darragh v Jenjira Stadelmann (Sui) (Women’s Singles), from 2.40pm
Canoe Slalom
- Michaela Corcoran (Women’s C1), from 2pm
- Noel Hendrick (Men’s K1), from 3pm
Swimming
- Daniel Wiffen (Men’s 800m Freestyle final), 8.02pm
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