Ireland at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Ireland competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China. It was the 19th Summer Games that Ireland contested as a nation under the Olympic Council of Ireland.

Ireland at the
2008 Summer Olympics
IOC codeIRL
NOCOlympic Federation of Ireland
Websiteolympics.ie
in Beijing
Competitors54 in 12 sports
Flag bearer Ciara Peelo[1][2] (opening)
Kenny Egan (closing)
Medals
Ranked 61st
Gold
0
Silver
1
Bronze
2
Total
3
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Great Britain (1896–1920)

Medalists
Medal Name Sport Event
 SilverKenny EganBoxingLight heavyweight
 BronzeDarren SutherlandBoxingMiddleweight
 BronzePaddy BarnesBoxingLight flyweight

Athletics
Main article: Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics

16 Irish athletes qualified for 17 different Olympic events in 2008.[3]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

Men
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Paul Hession 200 m 20.59 3 Q 20.32 1 Q 20.38 5 Did not advance
David Gillick 400 m 45.83 4 N/A Did not advance
Thomas Chamney 800 m 1:47.66 5 N/A Did not advance
Alistair Cragg 1500 m 3:44.90 8 N/A Did not advance
5000 m 13:38.57 6 q N/A DNF
Martin Fagan Marathon N/A DNF
Robert Heffernan 20 km walk N/A 1:20:36 8
Jamie Costin 50 km walk N/A 4:15:16 44
Colin Griffin N/A DSQ
Women
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Joanne Cuddihy 400 m 53.32 6 Did not advance
Derval O'Rourke 100 m hurdles 13.22 6 Did not advance
Michelle Carey 400 m hurdles 57.99 7 Did not advance
Fionnuala Britton 3000 m steeplechase 9:43.57 10 N/A Did not advance
Roisin McGettigan 9:28.92 2 Q N/A 9:55.89 14
Pauline Curley Marathon N/A 2:47:16 63
Olive Loughnane 20 km walk N/A 1:27:45 7
Field events
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Distance Position Distance Position
Eileen O'Keeffe Hammer throw 67.66 23 Did not advance

Badminton
Main article: Badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Final / BM
Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Rank
Scott Evans Men's singles  Zwiebler (GER)
L 18–21, 21–18, 19–21		 Did not advance
Chloe Magee Women's singles  Tolmoff (EST)
W 18–21, 21–18, 21–19		  Jun J-y (KOR)
L 12–21, 13–21		 Did not advance

Boxing
Main article: Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Ireland qualified five boxers for the Olympic boxing tournament. Barnes became the first when he qualified at the World Championships.[4] Nevin was the second, qualifying at the first European qualifying event.[5] Joyce, Sutherland, and Egan brought the number to five at the 2nd European tournament.[6]

Athlete Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Rank
Paddy Barnes Light flyweight Bye  Meza (ECU)
W 14–8		  Maszczyk (POL)
W 11–5		  Zou (CHN)
L 0–15		 Did not advance
John Joe Nevin Bantamweight  Ourradi (ALG)
W 9–4		  Badar-Uugan (MGL)
L 2–9		 Did not advance
John Joe Joyce Light welterweight  Káté (HUN)
W 9–5		  Díaz (DOM)
L 11–11+		 Did not advance
Darren Sutherland Middleweight Bye  Kassel (ALG)
W RSC		  Blanco (VEN)
W 11–1		  DeGale (GBR)
L 3–10		 Did not advance
Kenny Egan Light heavyweight  Jackson (ISV)
W 22–2		  Muzaffer (TUR)
W 10–2		  Silva (BRA)
W 8–0		  Jeffries (GBR)
W 10–3		  Zhang Xp (CHN)
L 7–11

Canoeing
Main article: Canoeing at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Ireland qualified one competitor in slalom canoeing. Eoin Rheinisch qualified an Irish boat in slalom kayak event after finishing seventeenth in the 2007 World Championships.[7] Ireland did not have any competitors in the flatwater events.

Slalom
Athlete Event Preliminary Semifinal Final
Run 1 Rank Run 2 Rank Total Rank Time Rank Time Rank Total Rank
Eoin Rheinisch Men's K-1 88.52 18 87.81 12 176.33 15 Q 88.85 10 Q 88.06 4 176.91 4

Cycling
Main article: Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Ireland qualified two places for the road race based on UCI rankings. Robin Seymour qualified for his third men's cross country race in the mountain biking. On 18 June 2008, the Olympic Council of Ireland announced that David O'Loughlin had secured a place for the men's individual pursuit in track cycling. Initially, the UCI released a list of qualifiers which did not include O'Loughlin.

Road
Athlete Event Time Rank
Philip Deignan Men's road race 6:39:42 81
Nicholas Roche 6:34:26 64

Track
Pursuit
Athlete Event Qualification Semifinals Finals
Time Rank Opponent
Results		 Rank Opponent
Results		 Rank
David O'Loughlin Men's individual pursuit 4:26.102 11 Did not advance

Mountain biking
Athlete Event Time Rank
Robin Seymour Men's cross-country Did not finish

Equestrian
Main article: Equestrian at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Eventing

Although Ireland did not qualify for the team event in the 2008 Olympics, as a result of having 5 individual riding spots qualify, they were automatically entered into the team event.

Athlete Horse Event Dressage Cross-country Jumping Total
Qualifier Final
Penalties Rank Penalties Total Rank Penalties Total Rank Penalties Total Rank Penalties Rank
Geoffrey Curran Kilkishen Individual 61.70 # 59 30.40 92.10 39 2.00 94.10 33 Did not advance 94.10 32
Niall Griffin Lorgaine 50.60 35 46.40 97.00 # 41 12.00 109.00 # 39 Did not advance 109.00 38
Louise Lyons Watership Down 57.40 55 28.40 85.80 35 9.00 94.80 34 Did not advance 94.80 33
Austin O'Connor Hobby Du Mee 52.80 42 34.40 87.20 36 0.00 87.20 27 Q 0.00 87.20 21 87.20 21
Patricia Ryan Fernhill Clover Mist 78.70 # 68 34.80 113.50 # 47 13.00 126.50 # 44 Did not advance 126.50 43
Geoffrey Curran
Niall Griffin
Louise Lyons
Austin O'Connor
Patricia Ryan		 See above Team 160.80 10 104.30 265.10 8 11.00 276.10 8 N/A 276.10 8

# - Indicates that points do not count in team total

Show jumping

As a result of Jessica Kürten's world ranking, Ireland earned one individual place in show jumping at the 2008 games. As Kürten opted not to ride in the Olympics, the place was awarded to Denis Lynch.

Lynch and his mount Lantinus progressed to the finals stage. However, along with riders and horses from four other finalists, Lynch was suspended from taking part in the final, following a positive test for a banned substance.[8]

Athlete Horse Event Qualification Final Total
Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round A Round B
Penalties Rank Penalties Total Rank Penalties Total Rank Penalties Rank Penalties Total Rank Penalties Rank
Denis Lynch Lantinus Individual 1 =14 1 2 4 Q 6 8 8 Q Withdrew[9]

Fencing
Main article: Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Ireland qualified one berth in sabre fencing. Siobhan Byrne secured her place in the Olympics by winning silver at the qualifying tournament in Istanbul in April.

Women
Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Final / BM
Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Rank
Siobhan Byrne Individual sabre  Więckowska (POL)
L 8–15		 Did not advance

Rowing
Main article: Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Ireland qualified with two boats for the rowing events. The men's coxless four qualified for the Olympics by finishing tenth at the 2007 World Championships. The men's lightweight coxless four team also granted their berth by finishing second at the last Olympic qualifying regatta in Poznań in June 2008 to complete the team line-up.

Men
Athlete Event Heats Repechage Semifinals Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Sean Casey
Jonno Devlin
Cormac Folan
Sean O'Neill		 Four 6:02.85 3 SA/B Bye 5:58.14 6 FB 6:07.97 10
Richard Archibald
Paul Griffin
Cathal Moynihan
Gearoid Towey*		 Lightweight four 5:52.32 4 R 6:21.81 1 SA/B 6:13.85 4 FB 6:06.02 10

Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

* In the non-medal final, Gearoid Towey had to withdraw due to illness, and was replaced by substitute Richard Coakley.[10] (A spate of illness circulated in the regatta field during the heats and finals, to the extent Germany's lightweight men's four had to withdraw entirely from the semifinal after three crew-members were affected.)

Sailing
Main article: Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Men
Athlete Event Race Net points Final rank
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M*
Philip Lawton
Gerald Owens		 470 22 1 17 15 1 25 21 15 13 24 EL 129 16
Stephen Milne
Peter O'Leary		 Star 6 12 7 10 12 13 13 8 11 12 EL 91 13
Women
Athlete Event Race Net points Final rank
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M*
Ciara Peelo Laser Radial 23 17 15 7 13 24 25 18 10 CAN EL 127 23
Open
Athlete Event Race Net points Final rank
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M*
Tim Goodbody Finn 22 13 15 15 17 16 21 15 CAN CAN EL 112 21

M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race; CAN = Race cancelled

Shooting
Main article: Shooting at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Men
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Points Rank Points Rank
Derek Burnett Trap 110 29 Did not advance

Swimming
Main article: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Men
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Andrew Bree 100 m breaststroke 1:01.76 NR 30 Did not advance
200 m breaststroke 2:10.91 NR 12 Q 2:10.16 NR 11 Did not advance
200 m individual medley DNS Did not advance
Women
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Aisling Cooney 100 m backstroke 1:02.50 31 Did not advance
Melanie Nocher 200 m freestyle 2:04.29 43 Did not advance
200 m backstroke 2:12.29 NR 20 Did not advance

Qualifiers for the latter rounds of all events are decided on a time only basis, therefore positions shown are overall results versus competitors in all heats.

Triathlon
Main article: Triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Emma Davis became Ireland's first ever Olympic qualifier for the Triathlon after finishing in fifteenth place at the 2008 World Championships, and thereby earning her enough ranking points.

Athlete Event Swim (1.5 km) Trans 1 Bike (40 km) Trans 2 Run (10 km) Total Time Rank
Emma Davis Women's 20:17 0:32 1:06:03 0:28 39:09 2:06:29.36 37
gollark: Certain "teenagers" used it so older people could not hear their phones.
gollark: Pressure, if you will.
gollark: I'd assume that force per area is the relevant thing here and not force.
gollark: This is like lol no generics all over again.
gollark: It doesn't even have generics!

See also

References
  1. "Peelo flying high as Irish flagbearer". The Irish Times. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  2. "Ciara Peelo to carry Irish flag in Beijing tomorrow". Irish Independent. 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  3. Olympic Council of Ireland Irish Team profiles Archived 2008-08-22 at the Wayback Machine
  4. World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 Archived 2008-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "1st AIBA European Olympic Boxing Qualification Tournament". Archived from the original on 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  6. 2nd AIBA European Olympic Boxing Qualification Tournament Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Olympic Place Qualified". 2007-09-23. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  8. RTÉ - Horse Sport Ireland make Lynch statement - 22.08.2008 Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Equestrian Jumping Individual Results Summary - The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games Archived 2008-09-07 at the Wayback Machine
  10. RTE sport - Ireland fourth in Lightweight Four B final
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