As preparations for LA2028 gather pace, the Team Ireland Foundation’s work to close the funding gap for Irish athletes has been on full display over the past few weeks – from Kildare to San Francisco.
Team Ireland Foundation Golf Day
The annual Team Ireland Olympic Golf Fundraiser took place on the 18th of June at the K-Club, bringing Olympians, sponsors, partners and supporters together for a day combining friendly competition with a shared commitment to Ireland’s Olympic athletes.
Twenty-five teams played an 18-hole scramble on the South Course before enjoying an evening programme which brought the Foundation’s message to life through athlete voices.
Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen spoke about how targeted funding sharpens the margins that matter at world level, while a panel featuring Olympic medalist Philip Doyle, Gráinne Walsh and Katie Mullan, joined by OFI President Lochlann Walsh, reflected on the financial pressures athletes carry alongside their training and the scale of the task ahead of LA28.
Carrying the Message to San Francisco
That same message travelled further afield this month, as OFI CEO Peter Sherrard and the Foundation’s fundraising team met members of the Irish community in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
Hosted by The Olympic Club, the group held conversations with the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco and figures from the local Irish diaspora, laying the groundwork for future support ahead of LA28. Olympic medallist Sonia O’Sullivan also gave her time, lending support to the next generation of Irish athletes.