The Olympic Federation of Ireland has named thirty-five athletes who will compete across eight sports in the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) taking place later this month. The EYOF is the largest European multi-sport event for young athletes aged 14-17, typically held every two years. This year it takes place in Skopje, North Macedonia, and will run from the 20–27 of July.
The EYOF is a prestigious event that plays an important role in the overall development of athletes, as it mimics the Olympic Games model, preparing athletes for the nuances of performing in a multi-sport environment. This year’s event will see forty-eight countries across Europe participate in the event, with over 4,000 athletes competing.
Team Ireland athletes who have been selected for this year’s event gathered at the official team day, where they picked up their kit, and heard from Tokyo and Paris Olympian, Ellen Walshe, who won a silver medal in the 100m Butterfly (swimming) at the EYOF in Tbilisi in 2015. The decorated and experienced swimmer shared her invaluable Games experience and insights with the young athletes before their departure.
Speaking at the team day, Walshe reflected on the key role the EYOF played in her Olympic journey, encouraging athletes to stay focused on their own performances and not get distracted by the excitement. She described the EYOF as the closest experience to an Olympic Games and said that competing at Tbilisi 2015 helped her adapt to the village environment in both Tokyo and Paris.
Announcing the team, Olympic Federation of Ireland Chef de Mission for the EYOF, Gavin Noble said, “The EYOF is a key milestone on the Olympic pathway, a chance for athletes to gain invaluable experience in a high-performance, multi-sport environment. This is a competitive and ambitious Team Ireland group, and while many are making their debut, they’re ready to step up. We are delighted to include a few new sports to this year’s programme, like Basketball 3×3, Table Tennis and Taekwondo, and look forward to supporting the whole team.”
The Irish team departs for Skopje on the 18th of July, with competition starting on the 20th of July. Coverage of the Games can be viewed HERE with daily recaps and results of the Irish action on the Team Ireland channels.
Previous medal winners from the EYOF include many of Team Ireland’s top performers like Rhasidat Adeleke, Lara Gillespie, Sarah Lavin and Sarah Healy. See the full list HERE.
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