Jack Raftery
Athletics
BIOGRAPHY
Jack Raftery was a travelling reserve for Ireland’s mixed 4×400 metres relay team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Raftery grew up in Grange, Co. Sligo and is a member of Donore Harriers, based in Chapelizod in Dublin. He originally competed as a middle-distance runner before switching to the 400 metres in 2019 to pursue selection for the Irish relay programme. His progression was rapid: he represented Ireland in the mixed 4x400m relay at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, reaching the final on both occasions.
He won his first Irish senior outdoor 400m title in June 2024, a performance that secured his place in the Paris squad. He studied Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Dublin City University, where he graduated in 2025.
He was the first Donore Harrier to be part of an Olympic team since 1956. His personal best of 44.98 seconds places him among the fastest Irish 400m runners of all time.
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