Ní Riain Takes Ireland's First Paralympic Game Medal for 2024

This morning, Ellen Keane entered the La Défense Arena to begin her swansong appearance on the grandest stage of all, competing in the penultimate event of her illustrious career. While the SB8 100m Breaststroke is not Keane’s retirement swim, it is her main one, and the one she struck gold three years ago on an unforgettable night in Tokyo.

Shifting the focus to the action in the water, Ellen Keane was the sole competitor for Team Ireland in the pool this morning. Keane took to the blocks with the third fasted entry time, Team GB’s Brock Whiston and the rising star Anastasiya Dmytriv Dmytriv from Spain, first and second respectively.

The Clontarf native showed excellent form in the morning heat, showing she was fully focussed on the task at hand, qualifying for tonight’s final comfortably. Keane reacted to the starting gun third quickest, powering through the La Défense water and leading the way on the turn. The five-time Paralympian and Team GB’s Whiston went stroke for stroke throughout the final 50-metres, both stopping the clock on 1:24.59 to finish joint-first in the heat, advancing to tonight’s final joint-second overall.

Speaking in the mixed zone following the morning swim, Keane said, “I had so much fun, I just embraced it, so I just wanted to soak up the atmosphere when I walked out, find my friends and family and give them a big wave. It’s so special, this is why I stayed on after Tokyo, I wanted to retire in a full stadium, and I wanted them to have that opportunity to cheer me on.

“I already won a gold medal in Tokyo, there’s so many things out of your control, the only thing in your control is your own performance, and just to making sure you are ready on the day to give it your all. I have that gold medal, that will always be mine forever, what happens tonight, happens tonight. I’d love to be on the podium, but Para swimming has progressed so much, I’m not naive on how strong the girls I swim against are, I love that.”

Looking ahead to tonight’s final, she added, “It will be a nice fight tonight, I’m really excited. I know a few girls weren’t going as fast as they can there, including me. I had a bit of fun with my stroke rate and seeing what I can do, the time is fine, joint-first in the heat – it will be a fun final.”

Irish eyes will be on the La Défense Arena once again later as Team Ireland’s Róisín Ní Riain returns to action after she placed fourth last night in Paris. Ní Riain is entered into tonight’s 100m Backstroke S13 Final (6:51pm IRL) ranked second and is the current World Champion, after she won gold in Manchester last year. Thirty minutes later Ellen Keane will be suiting back up for the 100m Breaststroke SB8 Final, the final time she will compete in this event while looking to defend her title, which is set to get underway at 7:21pm.

Result – 30^th August

Schedule – 30^th August

Ní Riain Shines in the City of Lights; Keane Narrowly Misses Out on Bronze

The La Défense Arena continued to be a fruitful venue for Irish swimming as Róisín Ní Riain won silver on day two of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. In doing so, the Limerick native becomes the first medallist for Team Ireland at these Games.

The 19-year-old stormed to second place in a time of 1:07.27 to win her maiden Paralympic medal, in what is already an impressive career, which includes a World Championship gold in the same event. Team USA’s Gia Pergolini won gold in 1:04.93, with Italian Carlotta Gilli taking bronze in 1:08.08.

Ní Riain entered the arena to one of the loudest cheers of the night with the stands filled with the National Centre Limerick swimmer’s family, friends and coach, John Szaranek all in attendance to witness the spectacular performance.

Speaking directly after the race, Ní Riain said, “I’m delighted with that swim, and it makes it extra nice with my friends and family here to watch as well. My whole training group that I train with back at home (in Limerick), a lot of them are here so it’s really nice to do it with them here tonight.

“It’s great for my family to be here, to be able to see it. I have three sisters and they all swim so it’s definitely nice to do it with them around.

“That was a really nice feeling to hear (the huge roar when she emerged on the pool deck ahead of the final). To have everyone here to support you definitely spurs you on as well.

“I’ll have to go back and look (at the race) but I was happy with it overall. We’ll sit down and analyse it like every other race.

“Everyone says to me how much I love racing, and I really genuinely do. It’s what I love to do.

“I was coming in tonight like ‘Oh God, I miss not swimming this morning.’ I definitely love racing, and I think why I love it so much is that every single time you go out to race you can learn something new.

“It’s a great feeling to win Ireland’s first medal but there’s so much more to come and Ellen’s swimming now and it’s definitely only the start for Ireland.”

A short time later Ellen Keane bowed out of the SB8 100m Breaststroke event with a fourth-place finish in a time of 1:24.69, a mere two tenths of a second off the podium. An event she has shined in throughout her glittering career that has spanned over five Paralympic Games.

Speaking after the race, Keane said, “Obviously I’m disappointed in not making the podium but I really tried. I can’t have any regrets. I really felt it in my legs towards the end of that race.

“I know it was just a margin off third but if I finished that race and still had energy and came fourth, I’d be so annoyed with myself. I put it all out there in the end and I’m happy and proud of myself that I tried. It was so close in the end. I always knew it was going to be a fight.

“I was really in the zone tonight. I didn’t want to risk getting lost in the crowd or distracted. I just kept telling myself ‘I’m ready, I’m ready.’ I really did fight there. It’s not lack of trying that I came fourth and I’ve had so many highlights in my career.

“Since Tokyo I knew I was ready, mentally, to let go and ready to walk away and I think that’s reflected in my times through the years since Tokyo. For me it was just about giving it my all and I did.

“When it comes to being a champion, I think you can define that in many different ways. It’s about being brave enough to show that you give it your all and that’s what I did.

“I’m so grateful that I’m here today and I’m really looking forward to the next phase of my life. I think I’ll still be involved in some way, shape or form, in Paralympic swimming and Paralympics in future.”

Keane will bring the curtain down on her career on Tuesday for the S9 100m Backstroke Heat, while Ní Riain is back on the blocks on the same day for the S13 200m IM.

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