Team Ireland

Team Ireland exceeds targets at the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Ireland's elite athletes exceeded targets at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. Through the Athens Review, the Irish Sports Council was challenged to set itself a target of producing between six and nine finalists in the Beijing Olympic Games, out of which two to three medals might be produced. In relation to the Paralympics the target set was 12 to 15 finalists, out of which four to five medals might be produced.

Ireland produced the following outcomes in Beijing:

Olympics

• Nine qualifiers for finals, or equivalent
• Two other top ten finishes
• Three medals - one silver, two bronze - in one sport (boxing)

Paralympics

• 22 qualifiers for finals, or equivalent
• Five medals - three gold, one silver, one bronze - in three sports (athletics, boccia, swimming)

Other measures of performance include the following:

Olympics

• 54 athletes qualified to participate in the Games, compared with 49 in Athens
• Twelve sports qualified athletes for the Games, compared with nine in Athens
• Five personal bests were achieved at the Games, and three season's bests

Paralympics

• 45 athletes qualified to participate in the Games, compared with 40 in Athens
• Nine sports qualified athletes for the Games, compared with eight in Athens
• Five world records were achieved at the Games, and 24 personal bests

Leading performances were as follows:

Olympics

Paralympics