Team Ireland has announced the first seven athletes who will compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
Six swimmers and one table tennis player have been announced as part of Team Ireland for the 2024 Paralympic Games, which will be hosted in Paris from August 28 through September 8.
It is expected that about 30 athletes will compete as part of Team Ireland for this year's games.
Deaten Registe, a 20-year-old swimmer from Co Tyrone, will be making his Paralympic Games debut this year.
DEATEN REGISTE
Deaten will make is Paralympic debut in Paris this summer! He appeared at his first major competition this April at the European Championships in Madeira.
Club: Lisburn City Swimming Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 6, 2024
Age: 20
Classification: S14, SB14, SM14#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/M34AQ7yHWF
Ellen Keane, a 29-year-old swimmer from Dublin, will be making her fifth Paralympic Games appearance this year. She heads to Paris with two Paralympic medals to her name - a bronze in Rio in 2016 and a gold in Tokyo in 2021.
ELLEN KEANE
This will be Ellen's 5th Paralympic Games having made her debut in Beijing in 2008.
She has 2 Paralympic medals. The Dublin swimmer won bronze in Rio 2016 and gold in Tokyo 2021.
Club: NAC Swim Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 6, 2024
Age: 29
Classification: S9, SB8, SM9#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/6oJOUPcodC
Barry McClements, a 22-year-old swimmer from Co Down, is making his second Paralympic Games appearance this year after making his debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
BARRY MCCLEMENTS
This will be Barry's 2nd Paralympic Games. The 22 year old made his debut at the Tokyo games in 2021. He won bronze this year at the European Championships in Madeira.
Club: Ards Swimming Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 6, 2024
Age: 22
Classification: S9, SB8, SM9#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/AIWwBUWeVB
Róisín Ní Riain, a 19-year-old swimmer from Co Limerick, will also be making her second appearance at the Paralympic Games this year.
RÓISÍN NÍ RIAIN
Paris will be Róisín's second Paralympic Games. The Limerick swimmer has won multiple World and European Championship medals since her debut in 2021.
Club: Limerick Swim Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 6, 2024
Age: 19
Classification: S13, SB13, SM13#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/vqVc9mQRGH
Dearbhaile Brady, a 16-year-old swimmer from Co Derry, will be making her Paralympic Games debut.
DEARBHAILE BRADY
Brady made her Irish debut in 2023 at the World Para Swimming Championships. She won bronze at the 2024 European Championships. Paris will be her first Paralympic Games.
Club: Limavady Swim Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 6, 2024
Age: 16
Classification: S6, SB6, SM6 pic.twitter.com/fVu84VJxQm
Nicole Turner, a 21-year-old swimmer from Co Laois, will be making her third Paralympic Games appearance; she won silver in Tokyo 2021.
NICOLE TURNER
This will be Turner's 3rd Paralympic Games. She made her debut in Rio 2016, won silver in Tokyo her 1st Paralympic medal & won multiple European Championship medals in Madeira.
Club: NAC Swim Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 7, 2024
Age: 21
Classification: S6, SB6, SM6#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/xj6qJfbQta
Colin Judge, a 24-year-old table tennis player from Dublin, is making his second Paralympic Games appearance this year.
COLIN JUDGE
This will be Colin's second Paralympic Games having made his debut in Tokyo, 2021. The Blackrock man has been competing internationally for Ireland since 2012.
Club: UCD Table Tennis Club
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) June 7, 2024
Age: 29
Classification: 3#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/DzyEZZBfG8
Commenting on the announcement of the first Team Ireland athletes, Paralympics Ireland Chef de Mission Neasa Russell said: "We are incredibly proud of the performances the athletes have put in to get to this point and we are really looking forward to supporting them reach their potential at Paris. Tús maith leath na hoibre."
Stephen McNamara, Paralympics Ireland CEO, said it was "very exciting" to be able to announce the first seven athletes for Team Ireland.
"I want to congratulate the athletes as well as their coaches and families on this very special occasion," McNamara said.
"So much hard work goes into qualifying for the Games and this is a culmination of their efforts for the past number of years.
"We look forward to cheering them on in Paris.”
Dave Malone, Para Swimming Performance Director, said it was a "tremendous day" to have six athletes selected to represent Ireland at para swimming in this year's Games.
"It’s a really exciting team with a lot of world class experience alongside two new debutants," Malone said.
"We have high hopes for our athletes as they put the final preparations towards the Games.
"We’ve had a challenging and rewarding qualification process and a very successful European Championships in Madeira winning 12 medals, so our team are well prepared and all of us are looking forward to supporting the athletes in the final few months before Paris."
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