The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) today named a 48-strong team to compete at the Athens Games which get underway in just 37 days.
The competitors are spread among nine different sports with Athletics boasting the largest number with 13 athletes. The make-up of the remaining sports is: Equestrian 10, Sailing 9, Rowing 6, Cycling 4, Canoeing 2, Swimming 2, Boxing 1 and Shooting 1.
The total is considerably less than the Sydney Games in 2000 when almost 70 athletes travelled. This year's team is also the smallest squad in two decades despite an increase in Government funding towards this project.
Speaking at today's press conference OCI president Pat Hickey said the reduction in the team's size reflected the stringent qualification measures imposed by the International Olympic Council (IOC).
"Giganticism has arrived," he said. "We have to cut down based on IOC policy. If numbers and costs continue to increase then in a number of years only a few cities worldwide will be able to host the games."
Tighter qualifying requirements for athletes has also played its hand but Hickey remains confident that Irish athletes can "achieve great things" in Athens, commenting: "The 'A' standard in athletics and swimming is an extremely tough standard but these athletes have done tremendously well to qualify with these standards."
The 48 total could yet increase however as the OCI executive committee will meet this Friday night to discuss the case made on Monday by Athletics Ireland of four athletes and then subsequently this morning of three swimmers who are close to the qualifying 'A' standard but failed to achieve it by the OCI's July 3rd deadline.
Under the IAAF guidelines, August 9th is the final date for Athens qualification but the OCI are expected to arrive at a decision by Friday night.
"We must respect these appeals because they (sporting bodies) are doing the best for their athletes and we have to give it our utmost consideration. Both appeals are on the cards to be decided one way or the other on Friday."
The Irish athletes will hold pre-Olympic training camps in Cyprus (Athletics, Cycling and Swimming), Croatia (Rowing) while Canoeing, Equestrian and Sailing will train at their respective Olympic venues in Athens itself. Walkers Gillian O'Sullivan, Robert Heffernan and Jamie Costin will train in Ioannina, north of Athens.
Breakdown of Irish Team competing in Athens:
Athletics
Robert Heffernam - 20K Walk
James Nolan - 1500m
Sonia O'Sullivan - 5000m
Adrian O'Dwyer - High jump
Cathal Lombard - 10,000m and 5,000m
Derval O'Rourke - 100m
Gillian O'Sullivan - 20K Walk
Olive Loughnane - 20K Walk
Paul Brizzel - 200m
Alastair Cragg - 5,000m
Mark Carroll - 5,000m and Marathon
Jamie Costin - 50K Walk
Marie Davenport - 10,000m
Boxing
Andy Lee - Middleweight
Canoe Slalom
Eadaoin Ni Challarain
Eoin Rheinisch
Clay Pigeon Shooting
Derek Burnett - Trap
Cycling
Mark Scanlon - 2 Men's Road Race
Ciaran Power - 2 Men's Road Race
Robin Seymour - Mountain Bike
Jenny McAuley - Mountain Bike
Equestrian
Show Jumping Team
Cian O'Connor
Billy Twomey
Kevin Babbington
TBA
Heike Holstein -Dressage
3-Day Eventing Team
Niall Griffin
Edmund Gibney
Susan Shortt
Sasha Harrison
Mark Kyle
Rowing
Sam Lynch - Lightweight Double Sculls
Gearoid Towey - Lightweight Double Sculls
Lightweight Coxless Four
Richard Archibald
Eugene Coakley
Niall O'Toole
Paul Griffin
Sailing
Marie Coleman - Europe (1)
David Burrows - Finn (1)
Mark Mansfield - Star (2)
Killian Collins - Star (2)
Gerald Owens - 470Men (2)
Ross Killian - 470Men (2)
Frazer Brown - 49er (2)
Tom Fitzpatrick - 49er (2)
Rory Fitzpatrick - Laser (1)
Swimming
Emma Robinson - 100m Breaststroke
Michale Williamson - 200m Breaststroke
