NI Olympic heroes to be honoured with official event

An official event to celebrate Northern Ireland’s success at the 2024 Olympics is to be held later this year.

A record seven medals were won, including four gold, in the Paris games.

No date or venue has been finalised for the Olympic celebration but Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who oversees sport in Northern Ireland, has promised the event will be open to the public.

As the celebration will include athletes from the Paralympic Games, which begin later this month, it will be September at the earliest when the event takes place.

Competitors from Northern Ireland can choose to represent the United Kingdom or Ireland at the Olympics.

It meant medal winners from Team GB and Team Ireland arrived home separately.

Competing for Team Ireland, Daniel Wiffin won gold and bronze, Rhys McClenaghan won gold and Philip Doyle won silver.

For Team GB, Hannah Scott and Jack McMillan won gold while Rebecca Shorten won silver.

There have been local events including one in Magheralin to mark the double medal success of swimmer Wiffen.

Looking ahead to the celebration event, Mr Lyons said: “I want to celebrate our Olympians, not just those that won medals, but also those that took part because it’s an incredible achievement.

“I want to celebrate them and I also want to make sure that we have a lasting legacy.

“My officials have been tasked by me with creating a celebration appropriate to the fantastic achievements that we saw displayed in Paris.”

Mr Lyons said he was eager to get “as many people there as possible”.

“I want to get all of the Olympians and their coaches and family members and I also want to make sure it’s open to the public,” he added.

“I want the public to have the opportunity to celebrate with them and I want to inspire the next generation as well.”

Prior to the Paris Olympics, only three athletes from Northern Ireland had won an Olympic gold medal, and none since 1988.

On Friday afternoon, Ards and North Down Council is holding an Olympic celebration event in Conway Square, Newtownards.

A total of 10 athletes from the borough competed in Paris including McClenaghan and McMillan.