Nhat Nguyen and Rachael Darragh have been officially selected to represent Team Ireland in badminton at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Dubliner, Nguyen, will be competing in his second Games, having made his debut at the Tokyo Olympics. From Raphoe, Co. Donegal, Darragh will be making her first Olympic appearance.
The Badminton events take place in the Porte de la Chapelle Arena from the 27 July to the finals on the 4 August 2024.
Qualification for badminton in the Olympic Games was based on ranking, with Nguyen impressing with a 19th place ranking position when rankings closed. Darragh was ranked 34th, with an anxious wait for the 10th of May, when rankings closed. Darragh’s aunt Chloe Magee competed in the Women’s Singles event at three Olympic Games, and her uncle Dan Magee is the Performance Director for the team.
Speaking on her selection, Darragh said,
“It’s very hard to explain the emotions you feel with someone tells you that you’ve qualified for the Olympics. It’s a dream that has been there for my whole life, since I was little.”
Nguyen added,
“With my higher ranking this time around, I could qualify quite safely, but I wanted to raise my level and get closer to the best in the world. I’m grateful to be going to my second Olympic Games, and I hope the experience from Tokyo will help me.”
Olympic Federation of Ireland Chef de Mission for Paris 2024, Gavin Noble said,
“We are delighted to officially select Nhat and Rachael to Team Ireland for the Paris Olympics. They are the first two athletes to be officially selected by Team Ireland for the Paris Olympic team. They both represent the dedication, resilience, and commitment that is evident in all our elite athletes. Nhat has been consistently performing at a world-class level, and we are excited to watch him continue to grow as he heads into his second Games. Rachael has been impressive throughout her Olympic qualification campaign, and we are delighted to confirm her on the team.”
Dan Magee, Badminton High Performance Director said,
““It is fantastic to see the progress that has been made from the Tokyo cycle with a strong coaching team now in place and a centralized training system on the National sports campus. Having a home-based training on campus means we benefit greatly from Sport Ireland, the Sport Institute team and Team Ireland daily. The qualification of two athletes in this cycle demonstrates that the system is progressing, and it has a positive impact on our junior athletes in the system who have a goal to qualify for the 2028 and 2032 cycles. I am looking forward to seeing our athletes perform in Paris and to see what we can achieve in the cycles ahead”.”
This if the first official selection of athletes to Team Ireland for Paris 2024, a Games that will see us celebrate our centenary competing as a nation at the Olympic Games. The team announcements for each sport will follow over the coming weeks, with the final team announcement scheduled for the beginning of July. The Olympic Games in Paris will run from the 24th July to the 11th August 2024, with the Opening Ceremony taking place on the 26th July.
TEAM IRELAND PARIS BADMINTON ANNOUNCEMENT:
Men’s Singles:
Nhat Nguyen (Dublin)
Women’s Singles:
Rachael Darragh (Raphoe, Donegal/Dublin)