BBC NI at the Olympics

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist in Paris

Image source, Inpho

It's hard to believe we are a week into the Paris Olympics already - and what a start it has been!

There has been medal success (and lots of it), drama and even the odd tear shed - and we're only halfway through.

After the medal rush for athletes from Northern Ireland, there are more chances for glory on Friday before a big weekend.

Let's take a look at what is happening.

Fermanagh duo of Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney made it to the final of the men's pair in rowing for Ireland but a medal was out of reach as they finished sixth. Croatia took gold with Team GB in second and Switzerland picking up bronze.

Team Ireland boats are in two other finals on Friday with defending Olympic champions Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy in the lightweight double sculls final (11:02 BST) and Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremen in the women’s double sculls final (11:22 BST).

It's been a disappointing Games for Ireland's boxers and Michaela Walsh is the last one to take to the ring.

Walsh takes on Svetlana Staneva of Bulgaria in the featherweight division at 14:45 BST.

Ireland are competing in the team showjumping final at the Palace of Versailles, with Derry's Daniel Coyle, Cian O'Connor and Shane Sweetnam all in action from 14:00 BST.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry started their bids for Olympic gold on Thursday and return to Le National for the second round.

Lowry tees off at 8:44 BST before McIlroy begins his second round at 11:06.

Ireland have a chance of a medal too in the sailing with Robert Dickinson and Sean Waddilove competing in the men's skiff (from 11:13 BST).

Image source, Inpho

Irish fighters Jack Marley and Daina Moorehouse were beaten in their OIympic Games bouts at Nord Arena on Thursday night.

Marley was just one fight away from a medal as he lost 4-1 to Tajikistan's Davlat Boltaev in the quarter-finals of the men's 92kg.

The 21-year-old Dubliner trailed from the first round against the skilful Boltaev, who stayed in front to earn at least a bronze medal.

Marley progressed to the last-eight stage by defeating Mateusz Bereznicki of Poland on a split decision.

Moorehead suffered a controversial defeat to France's Wassila Lkhadiri in her women's flyweight fight.

The judges awarded victory to Lkhadiri on a 4-1 split decision but Moorehead felt it was not a true reflection of the contest.

"I don't know what they're judging by - I still think I am a better boxer than her," the 22-year-old from Bray told RTE Sport.

"I tried my best. I knew getting in I was going to be booed, I didn't let any of that faze me. I don't know what to say."

Image source, Inpho

Tom Fannon has missed out on a place in the 50m freestyle final at the Olympic Games despite setting an Irish record time of 21.74.

The 26-year-old, who was making his Olympics debut, finished fourth in his semi-final and 10th overall.

Fannon was just 0.05 seconds away from securing a spot in the final at La Defense Arena.

He finished strongly but fell just short of progressing as one of the eight quickest swimmers.

It was a second Irish record for Fannon on Thursday after clocking 21.79 to win his morning heat.

His semi-final was won by Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands in 21.54 and he was followed in by American Caeleb Dressel and France's Maxime Grousset.

Fannon switched allegience to Ireland three years after competing for England in the Commonwealth Games.

Image source, Getty Images

Paris 2024 Olympics leaderboard, round one

-8 Matsuyama (Jpn); -6 Schauffele (US); -5 Niemann (Chi), Grillo (Arg), Kim (Kor)

Selected others: -4 Fleetwood (GB), Scheffler (US), Straka (Aut), Rahm (Spa); -3 McIlroy (Ire), Aberg (Swe); level Lowry (Ire); +2 Fitzpatrick (GB)

Full leaderboard

Rory McIlroy is two shots outside the medal positions after a three-under 68 in the opening round of the Olympic men's golf event in Paris.

McIlroy carded five birdies and an eagle but his progress was hampered by four bogeys, including one on the 18th hole to leave him in a tie for 15th.

The Team Ireland golfer is five shots adrift of leader Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who recorded eight birdies in a bogey-free round of 63 to lead at Le Golf National.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who recently became the first player to win The Open and US PGA Championship in the same year since McIlroy in 2014, is second, two shots behind Matsuyama.

American Schauffele and Spain's Jon Rahm were among the late finishers in a round that was temporarily suspended because of the threat of lightning.

Chile's Joaquin Niemann, Argentina's Emiliano Grillo and South Korea's Tom Kim are tied for third after rounds of 66.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood and Rahm were among those a further shot off the pace.

McIlroy's Ireland team-mate Shane Lowry could only manage a level-par 71 as his three bogeys included a dropped shot at the last following the first lightning delay.

After bogeying the par-three second, McIlroy recovered to reach the turn in three under after birdies on the third and fifth were followed by an eagle three at the ninth.

Bogeys on the 10th and 12th dropped him back to one under and while three successive birdies from the 13th put him on four under, his round ended on a frustrating note as he took five at the closing hole following three putts.

McIlroy missed out on a bronze medal in a play-off on his Olympic debut in Tokyo.

Image source, Getty Images

Rory McIlroy described his Olympic experience in Paris as "much better" than his debut in Tokyo with a 68 leaving him two shots outside a medal position after day one of the men's golf event.

"Tokyo was a ghost town," said McIlroy after a three-under-par round which left him five shots behind leader Hideki Matsuyama.

But while he has ground to make up on Japan's 2021 Masters winner and second-placed Open champion Xander Schauffele, who hit a 65, McIlroy is only two behind Chile's Joaquin Niemann, Argentina's Emiliano Grillo and South Korea's Tom Kim who share third place.

McIlroy's round contained five birdies and an eagle at the ninth but also four dropped shots including a three-putt bogey at the last.

"A bit up and down which is to be expected. I didn't do a whole lot between The Open and here. Some good. Some not so good," added the world number three.

The Team Ireland player described the atmosphere around Le Golf National as "awesome".

"Unbelievable. It was surprising," he said. "With so many events going on spread all across the city, for people to venture out here and to watch us play, it was a really cool atmosphere to play in."

McIlroy believes this week is "important" in determining where the Olympics sit in golf's "hierarchy" after the 2016 and 2020 events were affected by the Zika and Covid viruses respectively.

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland men's team are out of contention for place in the Olympic hockey quarter-finals after a 2-1 defeat by Argentina on Thursday.

Mark Tumilty's side lost their opening three Pool B games and needed to beat Argentina to keep their hopes alive.

Argentina moved in front on 17 minutes at Stade Yves du Manoir when Tomas Domene found the net from a penalty corner.

Ireland hit back to level 10 minutes later as Lee Cole sent his superb dragflick into the top corner.

But the celebrations were short-lived with Argentina restoring their lead just a minute later.

It came from another penalty corner with Maico Casella Schuth making it 2-1 to the South American side.

Both teams created openings before Ireland were rewarded a 45th-minute penalty stroke, but Cole was denied by goalkeeper Tomas Santiago.

Ireland won a series of penalty corners in the final quarter but failed to convert as Argentina held on to clinch a quarter-final spot.

They will face New Zealand in their final pool match on Friday at 16:00 BST.

Image source, Inpho

Derry's Daniel Coyle produced an error-free round as Team Ireland qualified for the team showjumping final in Paris.

Riding on Legacy, the 30-year-old incurred no jump or timing penalties in his round with the team posting nine penalties in total to finish sixth.

Shane Sweetnam and Cian O'Connor are the other team members competing for Ireland in the competition.

Germany finished in top position after three penalty-free rounds with USA second and Team GB in third.

The final takes place on Friday at 13:00 BST.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

In a historic Olympics, Rebecca Shorten has become the fifth athlete from Northern Ireland to win a medal in Paris after Team GB won silver in the women's four.

Shorten, along with Helen Glover, Sam Redgrave and Esme Booth, were fastest in qualifying but missed out on gold, which was won by the Netherlands.

In a role reversal of GB's success in the quadruple sculls on Wednesday, in which Hannah Scott from NI won gold - it was the Dutch who pipped the British crew to the line by a margin of 0.19 seconds.

The GB crew looked despondent after the finish line, in contrast with the celebrations of the Dutch who were in the adjacent lane.

"We've done a good job, we would have been very happy with gold and that's what we were going out there for but we'll take the silver," said Belfast's Shorten.

After the dramatic photo finish between the Dutch and GB crews in Monday’s quadruple sculls, it was the same two nations who led the way in the women’s four.

There was nothing to separate the crews at the 1,000m mark of the race as the Dutch held a narrow lead of 0.31 seconds.

That margin barely changed as the bows of the boats swapped positions on several occasions on the run to the line.

It was the Dutch who were able to celebrate gold, while Great Britain had to settle for silver.

Shorten joins Philip Doyle in winning a medal at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Thursday, after he helped Ireland to bronze in the men's double sculls alongside Daire Lynch.

Their medals take the tally for athletes from Northern Ireland to five after golds for Daniel Wiffen, Jack McMillan and Scott.

Image source, Getty Images

As recently as Tuesday morning, athletes from Northern Ireland had accounted for three gold medals in the history of the Olympic Games.

In the space of around 16 hours, Daniel Wiffen, Jack McMillan and Hannah Scott doubled that tally.

Incredibly two more medals were won early on Thursday.

Banbridge rower Philip Doyle, partnered by Daire Lynch, finished third to win bronze for Team Ireland in the men's double sculls before Belfast's Rebecca Shorten, along with Helen Glover, Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave, claimed silver for Great Britain in the women's four in another classic rowing final.

Image source, Getty Images

Among the biggest stars on show will be the men's golfers with their four-round, strokeplay competition teeing off at Le Golf National, the 2018 Ryder Cup venue.

Rory McIlroy, in his first action since missing the Open cut at Royal Troon, has spoken about his desire to win a medal after coming fourth in Tokyo three years ago.

Playing alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler of America and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, McIlroy opened with an up-and-down three-under 68, leaving him five shots adrift of Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.

McIlroy's Irish team-mate Shane Lowry was out at 10.44 BST with Byeong Hun An of South Korea and Canadian Nick Taylor.

In equestrian, Derry's Daniel Coyle helped Team Ireland reach Friday's team showjumping final alongside Shane Sweetnam and Cian O'Connor.

Huge day in hockey pool stages

In hockey, Team GB, captained by David Ames from Northern Ireland, came from behind to beat hosts France at 11:45 BST and seal a quarter-final place.

However, having lost their previous three contests, Ireland's medal hopes were ended after they were beaten 2-1 by Argentina.

In boxing, heavyweight Jack Marley will join Kellie Harrington in guaranteeing a second Irish medal if he beats Tajikistan's Davlat Boltaev in his quarter-final at 21:08 BST.

With six of the Irish boxing team already beaten, Olympic debutant Daina Moorehouse takes to the ring at 19:00 BST to face Wassila Lkhadiri of the host nation.

The 22-year-old flyweight from Bray received a bye in the last-32.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium

Philip Doyle became the fourth athlete from Northern Ireland to win a medal at the Paris Olympics as he finished third in the men's rowing double sculls with Daire Lynch.

The Team Ireland rowers clocked 6:15.17, finishing behind gold medal winners Romania (6:12.58) and the Netherlands (6:13.92).

Doyle, from Banbridge in county Down, joined Daniel Wiffen, Jack McMillan and Hannah Scott in winning medals at the Games, which have become the most successful in history for athletes from Northern Ireland, and some 20 minutes later, Rebecca Shorten added to the tally by clinching silver in the Great Britain women's four boat.

After settling into the race in fifth position, Doyle and Lynch pressed in the final 500 metres to pull away from the United States and take bronze by less than two seconds.

Doyle and Lynch celebrated after realising their achievement, and were beaming with pride as they were presented with their bronze medals.

The crew's success is also Ireland's third medal of the Games after swimmers Wiffen and Mona McSharry won gold and bronze in the pool.

Securing a bronze medal had been a long-awaited moment for Doyle, who still felt the need to apologise for his performance at the Tokyo Games three years ago when the double sculls crew failed to medal.

However, he made no mistake this time around as both he and Lynch put in a strong showing in the draining Paris heat.

After impressing on their way to reaching the final, Doyle and Lynch settled into fifth position as Spain and Romania set the early pace at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

Fifth became fourth as the Irish crew tried to close on Romania and the Dutch, who had worked their way into the lead of the race. In the closing metres, the Irish crew pulled away from the USA to clinch bronze.

Doyle and Shorten became the latest rowers from Northern Ireland to win medals in the space of 24 hours after Scott helped Team GB to gold in the women’s quadruple sculls on Wednesday.

Image source, Inpho

Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch have won a bronze medal for Ireland in the men's double sculls at the Paris Olympics.

Image source, Inpho

Mona McSharry's bid for a second Olympic medal at Paris 2024 is over after she failed to make the final of the 200m breaststroke.

The Sligo swimmer had won Ireland's first medal of the Games on Monday evening, and their first in the pool since 1996, when she took bronze in the 100m breaststroke.

She would finish sixth in her 200m semi-final, however, with a time of 2:24.48.

That was only good enough to finish sixth in her race and 11th fastest overall.

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Conor Hall has missed out on a place in Sunday's quarter-finals of the men's individual archery in agonising fashion.

The 28-year-old from Northern Ireland had advanced past France's Jean Charles Valladont earlier in the day and faced fellow Team GB member Tom Hall - no relation - in the last-16.

The pair were tied at 5-5 each when, on the final arrow, Tom Hall was closest to the centre mark with his concluding effort.

Their head-to-head came after the two Halls had both represented Great Britain in the men's team event, losing 6-0 to Chinese Taipei on Monday.

Image source, Inpho

Ireland women's rugby sevens captain Lucy Mulhall Rock has announced her retirement following the team's Olympic Games campaign.

The former Wicklow gaelic footballer captained Ireland to an eighth-place finish at the Paris Games in what was the women team's first qualification for an Olympics.

Mulhall Rock said it had been "the honour of my life to play and captain" the Ireland team over the past 10 years.

"But now it's time for me to step aside and watch my amazing team-mates and friends take this team forward and onto bigger and better things," she added.

Mulhall Rock said. that she had fallen "head over heels in love with sevens since it first came into my life in 2014".

"It's taught me so much over the years."

An injury sustained in Ireland's second pool game against South Africa led to her missing the concluding defeats against Australia, France and Great Britain.

Mulhall Rock made 213 appearances for Ireland in the World Sevens Series.

Image source, Getty Images

Defending Olympic champion Kellie Harrington is guaranteed at least a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Games after beating Colombia's Angie Valdes Pana in the quarter-final of the women's 60kg division.

Tokyo gold medallist Harrington secured a unanimous 5-0 decision win and advances to Saturday's semi-finals, where she will face either Brazil's Beatriz Ferreira - who she beat in the Tokyo final - or the Netherlands' Chelsey Heijnen.

The 34-year-old Dubliner led 10-9 on all five judges scorecards after the first round and was able to control the fight until the end.

Harrington joins swimmers Daniel Wiffen (gold) and Mona McSharry (bronze) as Team Ireland's medallists so far in Paris.

Harrington's victory came on what was another otherwise difficult day for Irish boxers.

Jude Gallagher's Olympic debut ended in defeat to Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in the men's 57kg division.

Later, European champion Aoife O'Rourke lost a split decision to Poland's Elzbieta Wojcik in the last-16 of the middleweight division.

The 27-year-old had beaten Wojcik in their previous six meetings but lost a messy encounter in which the Polish fighter was repeatedly warned for holding and was docked a point in the first round.

The Korean and American judges gave every round to Wojcik, while the Dutch judge did likewise with O’Rourke.

The Hungarian judge gave two rounds to O’Rourke and one to Wojcik, while the Canadian favoured the Pole with a card showing 28-28.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North Paris Arena

Image source, Getty Images

Jude Gallagher says he will come back "bigger and better" after being knocked out of the Paris Olympics in the last-16 of the 57kg division.

Team Ireland's Gallagher, 22, lost 5-0 on the judges' cards to the Philippines' Carlo Paalam, a flyweight silver medallist in Tokyo who stepped up in weight for the Paris Games.

After a tight first round, in which both fighters landed significant blows, Paalam's second-round performance put him in the driving seat and ultimately left Gallagher with too much to do in the final three minutes.

"It was a close fight. I put in a good performance but I knew that Carlo was no slouch," said Gallagher, who was the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion for Northern Ireland.

"He's an Olympic silver medallist and they don't just hand them out.

"Unfortunately the decision didn't go my way, but sometimes you get those days."

Despite a defeat on his Games debut, Gallagher said he can "absolutely" take pride that he is now an Olympian, something he describes as a "massive achievement".

"I think qualifying for the Olympics is maybe harder than boxing at it," he added.

"I'm an Olympian now and no-one can ever take that away from me."

Gallagher hinted that he likely to continue in the amateur ranks to have a shot at the next Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles, where he will be 26.

"It would have been nice to get a medal, but I'm still young and I'll grow and I can come back bigger and better.

"If I keep my head down and stick at it, keep working, keep growing and keep getting better then there will be a much better version of Jude Gallagher in four years' time."

Reigning Olympic champion Kellie Harrington and European champion Aoife O'Rourke are in action for Ireland later on Wednesday.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist at Vaires-sur-Marne

Image source, Getty Images

The smile that lit up Hannah Scott's face is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

The Coleraine rower looked down at the shiny gold medal around her neck, the enormity of winning one of the most thrilling Olympic finals of all time still to sink in.

"No words. I can't quite believe it, to be honest. I think I'm still in disbelief," said Scott.

"I'm not adding up right now. I was keeping everyone on their toes, that's all I was doing there.

"To come through the line and be standing here with one of these, I actually still can’t take it in.

Over the 2000m course, Scott and her Team GB crew mates Georgie Brayshaw, Lola Anderson and Lauren Henry trailed the Netherlands crew until the final stroke.

Fifteen-hundredths of a second was the difference.

"I know it sounds strange but ten strokes from the line, I know we weren't up, but I was like, we got this," added Scott, who became the first rower from Northern Ireland to win Olympic gold.

"I could just feel the power coming through and I was just like, heads in, go."

After the photo finish, Scott and her team-mates slammed the water in ecstasy.

"I mean, I had to look up because it was quite close, but it was a relief to be honest as well because it's one thing to have the belief, but to actually go out and do it is another thing.

"It just shows, it doesn't matter where you come from, we can do this."