Three Team Ireland Sailors Confirmed for Tokyo 2020
Two Boats Set to Compete in Sailing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo
Team Ireland has officially selected a team of three sailors to compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer. Olympic Silver Medallist Annalise Murphy is set to compete in her third Olympic Games in the Laser Radial Women, and her teammates Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove will compete in the 49er Men. The sailing events in Tokyo will run from the 25 July – 2 August 2021 at Enoshima Yacht Harbour.
Murphy will be competing in her third Olympic Games; in London 2012 she came agonisingly close to a medal, finishing fourth. Against the odds the Dun Laoghaire based sailor finished second in Rio 2016, winning an Olympic silver medal for Team Ireland. Murphy is back competing in this Olympic category after taking a short break after Rio, when she temporarily switched her focus to the Volvo Ocean Race.
Heading into their first Olympic Games, Dickson and Waddilove are no strangers to success, in 2018 they won the 49er Under 23 Junior World title in Marseille, France. Their qualification for Tokyo came courtesy of a stellar performance in the 49er Olympic Qualifying event in Lanzarote last March, the last opportunity to secure an Olympic berth. A dominant start to the event saw the crew gain enough points to win the Olympic berth in the preliminary rounds, before they competed in the medal race.
On the day she collected her official kit Murphy said,
Team Ireland Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, Tricia Heberle said,
“I’m really pleased to be announcing this sailing team today, they have pedigree and talent. On one hand we have Annalise who is already an Olympic medallist, bringing experience to the team heading into her third Olympics. On the other, we have Rob and Sean who are really exciting prospects. They showed their class at the qualifiers in Lanzarote earlier this year, and we are really looking forward to watching them perform in Tokyo.”
Team Ireland Sailing Performance Director, James O’Callaghan said,
“Sailing has been represented at every Games since 1948, with the exception of Mexico 1968. A proud tradition continues in Tokyo with a small but strong team. We are all delighted to be representing Ireland and after final preparations from our HQ in Dun Laoghaire we can’t wait to get on the plane to Tokyo. Our support has been fantastic and no doubt everyone will be feeling the same highs and lows with us over the summer.”
TEAM IRELAND SAILING TEAM:
Laser Radial Women – Annalise Murphy (Dublin)
49er Men – Robert Dickson (Dublin), Seán Waddilove (Cork)
Team Ireland now consists of 50 officially selected athletes, with over 100 athletes spots confirmed across nineteen sports SEE HERE. The final team announcement is scheduled for the beginning of July. The Olympic Games in Tokyo will run from the 23rd July to 8th August 2021.
BIOS
ANNALISE MURPHY, Laser Radial
Age 31. From Rathfarnham, Dublin.
Club: National Yacht Club
Full-time sailor
Silver medallist at the 2016 Olympic Games, Rio (Laser Radial class). Competed in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017/2018. Represented Ireland at the London 2012 Olympics. Laser Radial European Champion in 2013.
ROBERT DICKSON, 49er (sails with Seán Waddilove).
Winner, U23 49er World Championships, September 2018, and 2018 Volvo Irish Sailor of the Year
DOB: 6 March 1998, from Sutton, Co. Dublin. Age 23
Club: Howth Yacht Club
Currently studying: Sports Science and Health in DCU with a Sports Scholarship.
SEÁN WADDILOVE, 49er (sails with Robert Dickson)
Winner, U23 49er World Championships, September 2018, and recently awarded 2018 Volvo Irish Sailor of the Year
DOB: 19 June 1997. From Skerries, Dublin
Age 24
Club: Skerries Sailing Club and Howth Yacht Club
Currently studying International Business and Languages and awarded sports scholarship at TU (Technology University)
