Fiona Doyle – Swimming

Age: 24. Event: 100m/200m breaststroke. Hometown: Limerick

Twelve years ago, sitting at home in Limerick watching the Athens Games, Doyle announced to her parents that someday she would swim in the Olympics, not realising just how tough that would be. A brilliant junior, close to qualifying for both Beijing and London, she then raised the bar on her own expectations, attending the University of Calgary and immersing herself in a full-time student/athlete lifestyle. Last summer she was rewarded at the World University Games in South Korea, her 1:07.15 winning bronze in the 100m breaststroke and an Olympic place. The ambition now is to leave her mark in Rio.

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics