Paul O’Connor
Snowsports
BIOGRAPHY
Paul O’Connor represented Ireland in the men’s 1.5 kilometre cross-country skiing sprint at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, becoming the first Irish person ever to compete in Nordic skiing at the Olympic Games.
He finished 69th of 72 competitors in the qualifying race – just ahead of Nepal’s first ever Winter Olympian – and at 43 was one of the oldest athletes ever to compete in the event. O’Connor was born in Co. Cork and lives in Provo, Utah, where he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended Brigham Young University.
He shares his birthday – 1 January – with Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics. He had trained with Olympic ambitions as far back as 1991 but was denied the opportunity when Ireland chose not to send a Nordic skiing team to either Albertville 1992 or Lillehammer 1994. When Salt Lake City approached, he trained and qualified through the Ski Association of Ireland and the International Ski Federation. As well as competing, he served as an informal cultural ambassador for Ireland in the Olympic Village, giving instrumental Celtic music concerts.
He subsequently donated equipment to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
WINTER OLYMPICS NEWS
WINTER OLYMPICS DEBUTANT BEN LYNCH REFLECTS ON HIS HISTORIC HALFPIPE PERFORMANCE
As he said himself it was as if the stars aligned under the Friday night lights in Livigno when Ben Lynch became the first Irish skier ever to make an Olympic final (Halfpipe) taking 8th place overall; his lucky number! Overcoming the natural nerves of his first Olympic run (which Lynch landed safely), meant [...]
Highlights from Team Ireland at Milano Cortina
Relive the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games with highlights of Team Ireland’s four athletes in action. From historic milestones to determined debuts, Ben Lynch, Cormac Comerford, Anabelle Zurbay and Thomas Maloney Westgård showcased the very best of Irish winter sport on the Olympic stage. More from Milano Cortina WINTER OLYMPICS DEBUTANT BEN LYNCH REFLECTS ON [...]
Ireland’s Winter Olympians Celebrated at Homecoming Ceremony
Ireland’s four Olympians from the Milano Cortina Games have been formally welcomed home with a reception in Dublin city centre. Freestyle skier Ben Lynch, alpine skiers Cormac Comerford and Anabelle Zurbay, and cross-country skier Thomas Maloney Westgård were recognised for their performances and their contribution to Team Ireland’s Winter Olympic campaign at the Department of [...]
BEN LYNCH IS NAMED AS TEAM IRELAND FLAGBEARER
The Olympic Federation of Ireland is delighted to announce that Ben Lynch, Irish freestyle skier, will serve as Team Ireland’s flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Verona tonight. Lynch capped off a standout Games for Ireland with a historic performance that saw him become the first Irish [...]
MALONEY WESTGÅRD SHOWS GRIT IN GRUELLING 50KM FINALE
Day Fifteen – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 Thomas Maloney Westgård rounded out Team Ireland’s performance at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina 2026, finishing 23rd in a brutally competitive race in Predazzo, competing in the Cross-Country Men’s 50km Mass Classic. Norway dominated what is one of the most prestigious events in Cross-Country [...]
BEN LYNCH EIGHTH IN OLYMPIC FINAL
Day Fourteen Finals – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 History maker Ben Lynch has finished a brilliant eighth place in the Finals of the Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno tonight, posting an impressive score of 75.00 in the final run of the event. Lynch’s result marks [...]