At the heart of Team Ireland’s achievements lie the tireless efforts of our member National Federations, whose leadership, expertise, and vision shape the success of our athletes. This award honours the National Governing Body whose high performance programme has delivered exceptional results on the Olympic stage in 2025. Through a steadfast commitment to athlete development, innovative performance pathways, and sustainable systems for long-term success, the recipient exemplifies the highest standards of excellence in Irish sport.
Shortlisted Nominees
Cycling Ireland
Cycling Ireland’s High Performance Programme delivered one of its most successful competitive seasons in 2025, achieving world-class results across track, road, para, and downhill disciplines.
Landmark achievements included Lara Gillespie’s historic European Track Championship gold in the Elimination Race, Ben Healy’s Tour de France stage win and yellow jersey tenure coupled with a bronze at the UCI Road World Championships — Ireland’s first medal in that event in 36 years — and breakthrough U23 victories for Adam Rafferty and Seth Dunwoody at the Baby Giro.
Para-cyclists Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly claimed double gold at the World Championships, while Ronan Dunne excelled in downhill mountain biking with World Cup gold and World Championship bronze. At the UEC European Road Championships, emerging talents Adam Rafferty, Conor Murphy, and David Gaffney secured three medals, highlighting the strength of Ireland’s developmental pipeline.
The programme’s success is underpinned by a robust, structured performance pathway from grassroots to elite level, supported by the Sport Ireland Institute and newly developed discipline-specific strategies for Olympic and Paralympic cycling.
Innovation in biomechanics, aerodynamics, and athlete monitoring, alongside integrated athlete support teams, ensures holistic development, while strong governance and a professionalised High Performance Unit provide strategic oversight and operational excellence.
2025 also saw investment in talent identification and pathway camps, producing new national squad entrants and strengthening future competitiveness. Cycling Ireland’s combination of historic results, forward-looking strategy, and investment in innovation firmly establishes it as a world-class system with sustainable success on the road to LA 2028 and beyond.
Rowing Ireland
Rowing Ireland’s High Performance Programme continued its record-breaking trajectory in 2025, delivering world-class results across senior, U23, and U19 levels. At the World Championships in Shanghai, Fiona Murtagh claimed gold in the Women’s Single Sculls — her first World Championship title and Ireland’s first in this event.
Fintan McCarthy and Mags Cremen won gold in the Mixed Double Sculls, while Fintan McCarthy and Philip Doyle, and Jake McCarthy, secured bronze in the Men’s Double and Lightweight Single Sculls respectively. Success extended to European and World Cup events, with multiple medals across senior crews, and U23 and U19 athletes, including Jack Rafferty and Jonah Kirby capturing Ireland’s first-ever U19 men’s double sculls gold. These performances underline the programme’s depth, consistency, and international competitiveness.
The programme’s achievements reflect a clear, structured pathway from grassroots to Olympic level, supported by investment in coaching, sports science, and multidisciplinary athlete support teams. Innovation in technology, analytics, and recovery is embedded alongside mental performance, dual-career, and leadership development systems. Inclusivity is evident across men’s, women’s, lightweight, and mixed disciplines, with open communication and athlete-led accountability shaping a positive culture.
With expansion into emerging disciplines such as Beach Sprint rowing, Rowing Ireland is combining historic results with a sustainable long-term vision, setting the benchmark for performance sport in Ireland.
Swim Ireland
2025 was a landmark year for Swim Ireland, with record-breaking results across junior, U23, and senior levels showcasing the strength and depth of the nation’s swimming pathway. At the World Aquatics Championships, Ellen Walshe, Daniel Wiffen, and Ellie McCartney reached finals while three Irish senior records were broken.
The European U23 Championships brought four podiums, including gold for McCartney (200m IM), while the European and World Junior Championships saw John Shortt claim double world titles in the 100m and 200m Backstroke alongside multiple Irish records. Shane Ryan added a bronze at the World Short Course Championships, with the programme amassing 16 international podiums, 25 top-eight finishes, and 39 Irish records across all levels.
These results reflect the excellence of Swim Ireland’s Performance Pathway, from regional academies to national centres, providing structured support from grassroots to elite. Innovations such as state-of-the-art technical analysis, combined with athlete welfare, dual career support, and a strong culture of inclusion and teamwork, have created an environment where Irish swimmers can compete consistently at the highest international level.
The programme’s effectiveness is evident in the smooth transition of eight U23 swimmers to senior World Championship finals and the sustained global success of athletes across all disciplines, positioning Swim Ireland as a model of high-performance sport.
Notable Mentions
- Gymnastics Ireland
- Badminton Ireland
- Horse Sport Ireland – Youth Programme