Ulster Rambles BY DAVID MACCONNELL
IT IS NORMAL AT THIS TIME OF YEAR THAT I RAVE ON ABOUT THE MANY BRAVE, COURAGEOUS, HEROIC, EMOTIONAL, PASSIONATE STORIES OF SPORT AT THE OLYMPICS. I DIVED INTO THIS PROJECT WITH MUCHO GUSTO AND ENTHUSIASM BUT SUCH IS THE NATURE OF ULSTER THAT I WAS UNABLE TO FATHOM THE INTRICACIES OF HOW AND WHY SOME ATHLETES REPRESENTED GREAT BRITAIN AND SOME REPRESENTED IRELAND. PERHAPS I WILL LEAVE THAT ASPECT ALONE... FOR THE PRESENT... BUT I WILL GET BACK TO IT. 48 | THE IRISH SCENE
A total of 31 athletes from Northern Ireland made their way to Tokyo for the highly anticipated 2020 Olympic Games which of course were held in August 2021. Ireland’s women’s hockey team - captained by Coleraine’s Katie Mullan - started with a 2-0 win over South Africa. The squad – which had more Northern Ireland players than any other event at the Tokyo Games – broke barriers by becoming the first Irish hockey team to qualify for the Olympics. Representing N.I. on the 16-player panel were Ayeisha McFerran, Shirley McCay and Lizzie Holden, with Zara Malseed travelling as a reserve. Meanwhile, David Ames and Ian Sloan bowed out at the quarter-final stage of the men’s hockey with the G.B. team, losing 3-1 to India and missing out on a medal place. Banbridge’s Russell White finished 48th in the men’s triathlon while Craigavon’s Kirsty Hegarty finished 16th in the women’s trap shooting: whatever that was. Obviously Channel 7 did not show it or maybe I just managed to miss it! Belfast archer Patrick Huston finished 25th in the round of 64 in the men’s individual event and placed eighth in the mixed team event with Sarah Bettles. Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy just missed out on a bronze medal at the third sudden-death hole of a seven-way play-off for third place. The Holywood golfer began the final round tied for fifth on 11-under, three shots behind Zander Schauffele – who ended up winning gold – and only one stroke outside the medals. Jordanstown’s Stephanie Meadow ended four shots outside of the medal places after firing a five-under-par final round of 66 to finish seventh in the women’s golf. Team Ireland’s Olympic reputation is built on boxing success and four Northern Ireland boxers were selected for the squad. Despite Aidan Walsh’s despair at having to withdraw with an ankle injury he sustained celebrating victory in his bronze medal fight, he returns to Belfast as the city’s ninth Olympic medallist.
