Seoul 1988

About

Seoul 1988 was the first Olympic Games since Munich 1972 attended by both the United States and the Soviet Union, and the most politically complete Games in sixteen years.

The defining Irish moment came at the Opening Ceremony, when eighteen-year-old Wayne McCullough from the Shankill Road in Belfast carried the Irish tricolour into the stadium - a gesture of considerable symbolic power against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. McCullough and Michael Carruth both won their opening bouts in the boxing before being eliminated, planting the seeds for their medal-winning return at Barcelona four years later.

Marcus O'Sullivan reached the 1500m final, finishing eighth. John Treacy competed in the marathon. Michelle Smith competed in swimming for the first time at an Olympic Games. Terry McHugh competed in the javelin event in the same year as he competed in the 2 -man bobsled at the Winter Olympic Games in Nagano. Ireland did not win a medal.