New Kids on the Block – Ireland’s Rising Stars Shine This Summer
This summer has been a defining moment for Team Ireland’s rising stars. From the pool to the river and the track to the showjumping arena, our junior athletes have charged into finals, stood proudly on podiums and achieved remarkable milestones on both European and world stages. Across every sport, these performances are a powerful reminder that the future of Irish sport is bright. Credit goes to the National Federations, performance teams, and the parents and clubs whose dedication and support have helped nurture these talents to this point.
Swimming – Future Champions in the Pool
It has been a standout year for Ireland’s emerging swimmers. Ellie McCartney claimed the European U23 200m Individual Medley title while also securing silver and bronze medals in other events. She then progressed to the senior World Championships, where she reached the final and finished seventh.
John Shortt made history as the first Irish male swimmer to win back-to-back European Junior titles by earning bronze in the 200m backstroke and then gold in the 100m backstroke.
Grace Davison, Ireland’s youngest Paris Olympian, broke the senior national record in the 100m freestyle with a time of 54.80 seconds to win bronze and added another bronze medal in the 200m individual medley with a personal best of 2:14.05.
Rowing – Historic Gold on the Water
In Trakai, Lithuania, Jack Rafferty and Jonah Kirby won Ireland’s first-ever men’s U19 world title in the double sculls, clocking 6:39.57 to finish more than seven seconds ahead of their rivals. All five Irish crews placed within the world’s top ten, highlighting our strength in depth. That depth continued this summer with success at the U23 World Championships in Poznań, Poland.
Martin O’Grady and Donagh Claffey claimed bronze in the men’s double sculls A Final, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind the silver medal position. These achievements at both U19 and U23 levels affirm Ireland’s growing stature in rowing, supported by emerging talent and strong development across multiple boat classes.
Athletics – Sprinting to the Top
Irish athletes enjoyed an impressive summer on the track and field. Conor Kelly powered to 400m gold at the European U20 Championships in Tampere, setting a new Irish U20 record with a time of 45.83 seconds. Earlier at the European U23 Championships, multiple medals were secured by Irish athletes: Anika Thompson won gold in the 10,000m with a new Irish U23 record of 32:31.47 and bronze in the 5,000m; Nicola Tuthill earned silver in the hammer throw with a throw of 70.90 metres; Eimear Maher took bronze in the 1,500m with a time of 4:09.54; and Nick Griggs claimed silver in the 5,000m with a time of 13:45.80.
Horse Sport Ireland – Junior Jumping Glory
In Riesenbeck, Germany, Ireland’s junior showjumpers claimed team gold at the European Junior Championships with an outstanding score of 6.99 points, beating the Netherlands and Belgium. Emily Moloney won individual gold, while Tabitha Kyle took silver, capping a landmark week for Irish youth equestrian sport.
Sailing – Junior World Bronze at 49erFX Worlds
In Copenhagen, Erin McIlwaine and Ellen Barbour claimed bronze in the 49erFX class at the Junior World Championships. Competing in testing conditions, the duo climbed from fourth to third on the final day and maintained a top-ten presence throughout the competition. With 105 teams from around the world competing, their podium finish was all the more impressive.
Weightlifting – Historic Youth Medals
History was made for Irish weightlifting at the EWF European Youth Championships in Spain. Harrison McGrogan became the first Irish weightlifter ever to win both a gold and a silver medal at the event. His remarkable 149 kilogram Clean & Jerk earned him gold, while his total of 267 kilograms (118 kg Snatch and 149 kg Clean & Jerk) secured silver overall in the Youth 65A group – a truly groundbreaking achievement.
Adding to the celebrations, Ben Brennan made history as the first Irish weightlifter ever to medal at the championships, winning bronze in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 135 kilograms in the Youth 60A group and finishing fifth overall. These achievements mark a major milestone for Irish weightlifting and highlight the country’s growing strength on the European stage.
The Next Wave
Across the board, Irish youth sport is delivering results on the biggest stages. This summer alone brought European and World titles, national records and a host of finals reached across multiple disciplines. It is a clear testament to the depth of emerging talent making its mark at the highest level.
The future is not just on the way, it is already here.
Congratulations to all the athletes, their coaches, and the National Governing Bodies for their dedication and hard work in achieving these results. These performances are the product of years of preparation, commitment and teamwork and they inspire the next generation to dream big and aim high.