Team Ireland concluded a successful and rewarding week at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Skopje last Sunday, where 35 athletes competed across eight sports in scorching temperatures reaching up to 44 degrees.
Reflecting on the week, Team Ireland Chef de Mission for the EYOF in Skopje, Gavin Noble, praised both the performances and the professionalism of the athletes and support staff, “It’s been a wonderful week in terms of athletes and their performances, which is important. They’ve been working really hard to get here.”
Quoting Taekwondo coach John Kelly, Noble added, “You might be disappointed with the result, but you can’t be disappointed in yourself,” describing it as a fitting way to capture the spirit of the team.
While medals were celebrated, six in total across athletics and gymnastics, Noble stressed that the true focus was on long-term development.
“Medals are a bonus here. We’re not focused on where everyone came in the end, but the biggest goal for us is who do we see again.”
He emphasised the importance of reflection and resilience, noting that the athletes who continue to progress will be those who look back not with regret, but with a desire to improve.
With extreme heat a major factor throughout the week, Noble commended the team’s response,
“We had a big thing about how the heat cannot be our Achilles heel. We were always going to challenge that, being Irish. So they’ve done really well.”
From the medals on the track and in the gymnastics arena in Osejik, Croatia, to top-eight finishes across a wide range of sports, the performances in Skopje reflected not only talent but also adaptability and composure. Beyond the podium, Irish athletes gained vital experience in an international multi-sport environment, learning how to manage pressure, recover quickly, and compete at a high level.
As the team returns home, the focus turns to the future. For many, EYOF was a first taste of international competition, and for some, it may well be the first step on the path to senior Olympic Games.
RESULTS BY SPORT/ATHLETE
ATHLETICS:
Ben Sykes: Boys 100m, Ben Sykes BRONZE MEDAL in 10.57 (PB of 10.56 in semi-final)
Erin Friel: Girls 400m Final, Erin Friel Bronze medal in a PB time of 54.02
Ellis McHugh: Girls’ 400m hurdles final, Ellis McHugh wins bronze with a time of 59.25
Joe Burke: Boys’ 200m final, Joe Burke wins bronze with a time of 21.22 (PB and Irish U18 record)
Thomas Williams: Boys’ Hammer Throw, Thomas Williams finished 4th with 73.07 (season best)
Matthew Newell: Boys’ 5km Race Walk Final, Matthew Newell 4th with a time of 21:04.19
Mixed Relay: Girls’ Medley Relay Final, Destiny Lawal (100m), Molly Daly (200m), Ellis McHugh (300m), Erin Friel (400m) 4th with 2.07.06 (Irish record)
Emma Hickey: Girls 3000m Final, Emma Hickey 5th with 9.38.17.
Conor Penney: Boys’ High Jump, Conor Penney 6th in Final with 2.04
Isaac Vickers: Boys 800m, Isaac Vickers 6th in heat with 1.56.14.
Destiny Lawal: Girls 100m Sprint, Destiny Lawal DSQ following false start
Lorcan Forde Dunne: Boys 1500m Final, Lorcan Forde Dunne 8th with 3.58.95
Molly Daly: Girls’ 200m Semi-final, Molly Daly 5th with 24.22.
Lucie Cawley: Girls 2000m SC Heat, Lucie Cawley 6th in heat with 7:02.97.
BADMINTON:
Hannah Shochan: Girl’s Singles Group Play Stage,
Hannah Shochan (IRL) BEAT Matilda Simma (AUT) 2-0 (21-11, 21-13),
Hannah Shochan (IRL) BEATEN BY Maja Pranic (CRO) 2-1 (21-19, 12-21, 21-19),
Hannah Shochan (IRL) Beat Abiramy Kokilan (NOR) 2-0 (21:12, 21:17),
Hannah Shochan (IRL) Beaten by Daria Gherasim (ROU) 1-2 (21:17, 15:21, 19:21)
Luke Marks: Boy’s Singles Group Play Stage,
Luke Marks (IRL) BEAT Ivan Dzhus (UKR) 2-1 (21:5, 17:21, 21-17),
Luke Marks (IRL) Beaten By Georgi Ruptsov (BUL) 0-2 (13:21, 15:21),
Luke Marks (IRL) Beat Marko Surina (CRO) 2-0 (23:21, 21:18),
Luke Marks (IRL) Beaten by Jakub Dulemba (POL) 0-2 (17:21, 19:21)
Mixed Double: Mixed Doubles,
Ireland (Shochan/Marks) were Beaten by Bajars/Gaure (LAT) 0-2 (15:21, 17:21)
BASKETBALL:
Ireland (Aoibheann Donnelly, Faye McDonnell, Helena Keane, Muireann Teahan)
Girls 3×3 Pool Round, Ireland Beat Netherlands 11-10, Ireland Beat Romania 17-10, Ireland Beat Latvia 20-6
Girls’ 3×3 quarter finals, Ireland Beaten by Slovenia 18-12
CYCLING:
Emer Heverin: Girls Time Trial, Emer Heverin 7th in 14:25.615, Girls’ Road Race, Emer Heverin 17th in sprint for gold, 1:03.01,
Aoife Craig: Girls Time Trial, Aoife Craig 46th in 15:20.293, Girls’ Road Race, Aoife Craig 41st in 1:05.02,
Katie Turner: Girls Time Trial, Katie Turner 59th in 15:42.990, Girls’ Road Race, Katie Turner 60th in 1:08.46,
Caleb McGreevy: Boys’ Mountain Bike Race, Caleb McGreevy 8th in 1:02.28, Boys Time Trial, Caleb McGreevy 28th in 13:11.389, Boys’ Road Race, Caleb McGreevy 46th in 1:16.12 in main group,
Tom Lane: Boys Time Trial, Tom Lane 23rd in 13:05.998, Boys’ Road Race, Tom Lane 62nd in 1:16.59
Rían McCrystal: Boys Time Trial, Rian McCrystal 35th in 13:19.696, Boys’ Road Race, Rían McCarthy 84th in 1:24.22
GYMNASTICS
Chester Enríquez
Boys’ Vault Final, Chester Enriquez gold medal with 13.599
Boys’ Floor Exercise Final, Chester Enriquez wins bronze with a score of 13.566
Boys All Around, 10th Team with 147.9, Robert Ward 26th overall AA
Mixed Team, 13th overall with a total of 24.366 (with Roisin Hickey)
Finlay Hazelton
Boys’ Vault Final, Finlay Hazelton 5th with 13.083
Boys All Around, 10th Team with 147.9, Finlay Hazelton 36th overall AA
Robert Ward
Boys All Around, 10th Team with 147.9, Robert Ward 26th overall AA
Roisin Hickey
Mixed Team, 13th overall with a total of 24.366 (with Chester Enríquez)
Girls’ All Around, 16th Team with 91.00, Roisin Hickey 38th with 45.7
Estella Volkoff
Girls’ All Around, 16th Team with 91.00, Estelle Volkoff 46th with 45.3
Swimming
Julia Dziedzic:
Girls 200m Backstroke Final, Julia Dziedzic 8th in 2:20.77
Girls 400m Freestyle Julia Dziedzic 7th in heat with 4:39.06
Girls’ 200m Freestyle Heat, Julia Dziedzic 6th in heat with 2:13.3
Girls’ 200m IM Semi-finals, Julia Dziedzic 8th in semi-final with a time of 2:25.96
Shea Mathers:
Boys’ 200m Butterfly Semi-final, Shea Mathers 5th in semi-final with 2:12.41
Boys’ 100m Butterfly Semi-finals, Shea Mathers 8th in semi-final with a time of 59.68
Anna Joyce:
Girls 200m Breaststroke Heat 1, Anna Joyce 6th place with 2:50.24
Girls’ 100m Breaststroke Heats, Anna Joyce 7th with a time of 1:15.78
Table Tennis
Peadar Sheridan:
Boys Singles Preliminary Round
Peadar Sheridan (IRL) Beat Ughur Nazarli (AZE) 3-1 (11:2, 11:9, 10:12, 11:6)
Peadar Sheridan (IRL) Beaten By Robert Istrate (ROU) 0-3 (11:5, 11:5, 11:8)
Peadar Sheridan (IRL) Beat David Capanda (SRB) 3-1 (11:8, 12:10, 6:11, 11:8)
Boys Singles Round of 32
Peadar Sheridan (IRL) Beaten By Aaron Sahr (LUX) 3-4 (11:7, 12:10, 11:9, 8:11, 8:11, 4: 11, 9:11)
Taekwondo
Charleigh Lee Smithers,
Girls’ 63+, Charleigh Lee Smithers (IRL) Beat Sarah Natasha Femer Pederson (NOR) 2-0,
Charleigh Lee Smithers (IRL) Beaten by Anastasia Vlachou (GRE) 2-0