On Olympic Day 2022, Team Ireland athletes, staff, sponsors and partners came together to establish who would be crowned Team Ireland’s Fittest Sponsor.
With the 2022 Olympic Day theme centred on the power of sport to promote peace and togetherness, using the hashtag #MoveForPeace, Ireland’s Olympic stakeholders came together in an event that simulated the Olympic Games, from pre-Games camp through to the medal ceremony.
At the end of the event a cheque for €5,000 was presented to Sanctuary Runners, a non-profit group that uses running to build sustainable bridges between communities and to show that we are all equal.
The event kicked off in the morning with a Pre-Games camp hosted by the Sport Ireland Campus team at the National Arena, where the teams were able to hone their skills at the various sports on offer, and get to know their teammates. Greg O’Shea was on hand to bring everyone through the warm up!
Following a lunch, which was supplied by Gourmet Food Parlour (official catering supplier for Team Ireland), the teams made their way to the National Arena, where they were greeted by Drumadore, the drumming group, outside the main entrance, before their opening ceremony which included an Athlete Parade, and performances from Xquisite Dance, who are part of the Dancing Federation of Ireland.
A rousing dressing room pep talk set up the teams rightly for the competition that ensued.
Once again thanks to all the teams that took part:
Permanent TSB, with Kellie Harrington as coach,
Deloitte, with Rob Heffernan as coach,
Allianz, with Kenneth Egan as coach
McKeever Sports, with Aidan Walsh as coach
Sport Ireland, with Billy Dardis as coach
The All-Stars, with Jon Rudd as coach
While they were all winners, McKeever Sports topped the podium!
Today we celebrate Olympic Day!
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 23, 2022
On this day we want to highlight the power sport has in bringing people together in peace. Every movement starts with a step. A chance to take action. Let's move together for peace this #OlympicDay@Olympics#MoveForPeace pic.twitter.com/HhRkXvjRBt
This day was supported by a social media campaign which amplified the IOC Move For Peace campaign, involving a series of branded posts, as well as a call to action from the Olympic family to join the Move For Peace call for action.
Olympic Champion 🥇 Fintan McCarthy and the rest of the Irish Rowing Team training together today on #OlympicDay 🚣♂️🚣♀️@RowingIreland @Olympics#MoveTogether #MoveForPeace pic.twitter.com/egXTdnsTAX
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 23, 2022
From an Ethiopian prison to the top step of the Irish National Championships podium. Hiko Tinosa’s story is something to behold. To people like Hiko, sport can be so much more than a way of life. On June 23 we celebrate Olympic Day and the world is seeking peace and togetherness. pic.twitter.com/1B6qMQhwtJ
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 22, 2022
The Olympics show that peace is possible through sport.
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 21, 2022
Peace is fundamental to the Olympics with mutual understanding and a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play at heart. pic.twitter.com/hQYUZHhlWy
Today we are celebrating #WorldRefugeeDay
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 20, 2022
In 2016, Efrem Gidey fled Eritrea and spent six months at a refugee camp in Calais before arriving in Ireland in March 2017. Two years later, he was standing on a European podium having just won an U20 bronze medal 🥉 pic.twitter.com/GVf7gOc8Aq