First ever title sponsor to partner with both the Team Ireland Olympic and Paralympic teams
Permanent TSB has been unveiled as the title sponsor for both the Irish Olympic and Irish Paralympic teams at the Paris 2024 Games taking place in July and August respectively. Permanent TSB is the first ever title sponsor to partner with both organisations in an Olympic cycle.
As Ireland’s leading personal and small business bank, Permanent TSB values ambition, courage and excellence, three key factors in Irish high-performance sport. Permanent TSB is proud to support Irish Athletes succeed on the world stage and the unique ability of the Irish teams to inspire the country, at both the Paris Olympics and the Paris Paralympics, will be very special.
Permanent TSB will invest a multi-million euro sum to secure and promote Team Ireland in the coming two and a half years. It is the largest sponsorship undertaken by the bank since it sponsored the Irish National Rugby Team.
4 Individual Athlete Sponsorships Also Announced
The bank has also agreed individual sponsorship deals with four leading athletes who will act as Ambassadors for Permanent TSB.
Kellie Harrington | Olympics | Boxing |
Nhat Nguyen | Olympics | Badminton |
Jason Smyth | Paralympics | Sprinting |
Britney Arendse | Paralympics | Powerlifting |
Quote from Eamonn Crowley, CEO of Permanent TSB
Speaking today Eamonn Crowley, CEO of Permanent TSB said the sponsorship was inspired by the bank’s rich heritage in Irish communities.
“We see our community ethos as a key differentiator for Permanent TSB and like us the Olympic and Paralympics are grounded in communities across the country, so this is a perfect partnership. It is also one of the outstanding national sponsorships in the country and it speaks to our ambition to further grow the bank over the coming years.”
In the coming weeks, Permanent TSB will unveil a major marketing campaign to promote the sponsorship themed around ‘Raising A Nation’.
Crowley said, “Athletic success depends on the support of families, friends, communities and coaches and our Olympian’s and Paralympian’s achievements inspire and raise the spirits of the entire nation. We’re starting a journey now that will take us to Paris 2024 and we look forward to supporting Team Ireland every step of the way.”
Quote from Peter Sherrard, CEO of Olympic Federation of Ireland
“Today is an exciting day, as we build towards Paris 2024. We are delighted to reveal Permanent TSB as the primary sponsor of the Irish Olympic team. Their support of Team Ireland and the athletes is hugely significant and we thank Eamonn and the large team at Permanent TSB throughout Ireland for their commitment to Irish Olympic Sport. We look forward working together to connect communities and to support the journeys of our athletes.”
Quote from Miriam Malone, CEO of Paralympics Ireland
“This is a very exciting announcement as we welcome our first ever title sponsor for Paralympics Ireland. This partnership places Paralympic and Olympic athletes on the same level and is a significant boost as all Team Ireland athletes work towards Paris 2024. Permanent TSB has some brilliant plans in store and we are really looking forward to joining with Permanent TSB and the Olympic Federation of Ireland in ‘Raising a Nation’.” Permanent TSB has a long history in sports sponsorships including its sponsorship of the Irish National Rugby Team for ten years from 1996 to 2006.
Athlete Profiles
Kellie Harrington became one of Ireland’s most recognisable athletes when she became Olympic Champion in Women’s Lightweight (60kg) boxing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in August 2021. The 32-year-old won gold at the end of February 2022 in the prestigious Strandja Tournament, reinforcing her dominance in this field. The Dublin boxer was named as Ireland’s most marketable athlete in October 2021 by Onside, one of Europe’s leading consultancy firms. Kellie is also a Dare to Believe ambassador.
Nhat Nguyen competed for Team Ireland in the Olympic Games in Tokyo last summer in badminton. Nhat is one of Ireland’s most exciting young athletes, excelling in the Men’s Singles. The 21-year-old first made his mark in 2016 when he won the men’s senior national championships as a 16-year-old, and since then has been dominant internationally in the junior ranks right through to senior. As a junior he won a bronze medal at the 2018 European Championships, in the same year that he competed in the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, almost overcoming the eventual winner. At Tokyo he performed outstandingly in the opening rounds, indicating his potential as he looks forward to Paris 2024. The Dubliner was born in Vietnam, where he lived until he was six, before his family relocated to Ireland. Nhat’s focus for the coming year is on the European Championships from the 25-30 April, and the World Championships from 21-28 August 2022.
Jason Smyth is one of the true legends of Paralympic sport as he holds the distinction of never having lost a competitive Paralympic race. The four-time Paralympian has won gold medals at each of Beijing, London, Rio and Tokyo and he has blazed a trail for Irish Para Athletes. The world record holder on the T13 100m is also the second fastest Irish male of all time over the 100-metre distance. Jason, who lives with his family in Belfast is married to Elise and has two young daughters, Evie and Lottie.
Britney Arendse saw her Paralympic dream come through as she made her debut appearance at a Paralympic Games in Tokyo last year. The young Cavan woman made the most of her appearance as she produced lifetime best performances with her three lifts to finish in seventh place overall. 21-year-old Britney moved to Ireland with her family from South Africa. She suffered a spinal cord injury in a motor accident in 2009. Britney competes in the Women’s 73 kg powerlifting event.