03 June 2016 – Dublin, Ireland: The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) is today delighted to announce jointly with Athletics Ireland and Pentathlon Ireland, that a further four athletes have been formally selected to represent Team Ireland at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Today’s formal selections include three men’s marathon runners: Mick Clohisey, Paul Pollock and Kevin Seaward and in modern pentathlon, Lanigan O’Keefe.
Team Ireland continues to grow with 34 athletes and eight sports confirmed as part of the team competing at Rio 2016.
Kevin Kilty, Team Ireland’s Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, said:
“It’s really exciting to see the final team coming together. The next important date in the diary for all team members is the collection of the official Rio 2016 Team Ireland New Balance kit. The distribution of the kit will begin within the next two weeks. Kit collection day is a magical moment for the athletes.”
Dermot Henihan, The Secretary General of the OCI, said:
“It’s not long now before all athletes are formally selected and we know the final team flying out to Rio. The Games are getting closer by the day; the first departure in mid-July is not too far away. For now, the athletes concentrate on performance and we concentrate on organisation. The OCI is supporting Ireland’s athletes every step of the way.”
Formal selections still to be announced include athletes in athletics, swimming and diving who have already achieved the qualifying standards. Selections for the final men’s hockey squad and for the equestrian team of eventing, show jumping and dressage are also in the final stages.
Cycling Ireland are currently in the process of making their final recommendation for the men’s road race and women’s track cycling.
More formal selections will be made in the latter part of June and we are still hopeful of qualification in canoe sprint and one more in modern pentathlon.
The final qualifiers for boxing will take place at the 2016 World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku, Azerbaijan, 14 – 26 June.
Rugby are still to qualify. The OCI will await the results from the final Olympic sevens qualification tournaments in Monaco and Dublin this month.
The third group of selected athletes is made up of:
Athletics Ireland
Mick Clohisey – Men’s Marathon
Paul Pollock – Men’s Marathon
Kevin Seaward – Men’s Marathon
Pentathlon Ireland
Arthur Lanigan O’Keefe – Modern Pentathlon
ENDS
For more information:
Contact: Nick Dawes, Olympic Council of Ireland
Telephone: +447557435851
