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Ireland at the 2012 Summer Olympics

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Ireland at the
2012 Summer Olympics
IOC codeIRL
NOCOlympic Federation of Ireland
Websiteolympics.ie
in London
Competitors66 in 14 sports
Flag bearers Katie Taylor (opening)
Darren O'Neill (closing)
Medals
Ranked 41st
Gold
1
Silver
1
Bronze
4
Total
6
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Great Britain (1896–1920)

Ireland competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twentieth appearance at the Summer Olympics.

The Olympic Council of Ireland sent a total of 66 athletes to the Games, 36 men and 30 women, to compete in 14 sports. The International Olympic Committee allowed athletes from Northern Ireland the option to compete at the Olympic Games for either Great Britain or Ireland. Medallists Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan were both born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and chose to compete for Team Ireland. Ireland had only a single competitor in the sprint canoeing, track cycling, equestrian dressage, judo, rowing and shooting events.

This was Ireland's most successful Olympics, winning a total of 5 medals (1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze) after left London in three sports: boxing, athletics and equestrian show jumping. Boxer Katie Taylor, who was Ireland's flag bearer at the opening ceremony, won Ireland's first Olympic gold medal in 16 years. Light flyweight boxer Paddy Barnes defended his bronze medal from Beijing, becoming the second Irish athlete in 80 years to win medals at two consecutive Olympics.[1][2] For the first time since 1980, Ireland also won an Olympic medal in more than a single sport.

On 24 March 2016, race walker co-fourth placer Robert Heffernan was upgraded to bronze after the original gold medalist Sergey Kirdyapkin of Russia disqualified due to doping, that became a total of 6 medals.[3]

Medallists

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International media coverage

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Katie Taylor's Olympic boxing success led to inaccurate coverage in the international media. While previewing her semi-final bout, The Daily Telegraph, a conservative English newspaper, incorrectly referred to Taylor as "British", prompting fierce criticism from other media outlets, and an apology from the Telegraph.[6][7][8] Fairfax Media of Australia also issued an apology, after articles published in The Age, Brisbane Times and The Sydney Morning Herald were widely condemned as "lazy stereotyping" of the Irish. Irish Ambassador to Australia Noel White issued a formal complaint about the article's reliance on Guinness, whiskey and potatoes to make a story.[6] USA Today was criticised after its article said: "Back home on the emerald-green isle, pints of Guinness flowed freely, perhaps enough to replenish the Irish Sea. The "punters" inside betting parlors [sic] wagered pounds [sic] as if they were bits of candy. It is not hyperbole to suggest that, when Taylor entered the ring, the weight of a prideful, scuffling nation rested on her muscular shoulders."[6] Also, Australian commentator Russell Barwick provoked "fury"[9] while on ESPN, comparing Team Ireland's independence from Team GB to Tasmanian athletes not performing for Australia.[9]

Athletics

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The Irish team selection caused a number of controversies. In the women's marathon Linda Byrne, Ava Hutchinson and Caitriona Jennings were selected while Maria McCambridge, who had also run the 'A' qualifying standard missed out on selection, as only three athletes from a nation may compete in the event. Additionally the deadline for qualification for the marathon had been changed to allow Barbara Sanchez, who holds dual Irish and French citizenship, a chance to qualify.[10] The team for the women's 4 × 400 metres relay was changed after Joanna Mills won an appeal of her exclusion on the grounds of having a faster time than Catriona Cuddihy who had initially been selected.[11]

Irish athletes achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard):[12][13] [14]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Mark Kenneally in men's marathon
Men
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Paul Hession 200 m 20.69 5 Did not advance
Ciarán O'Lionaird 1500 m 3:48.35 13 N/a Did not advance
Alistair Cragg 5000 m 13:47.01 17 N/a Did not advance
Mark Kenneally Marathon N/a 2:21:13 57
Robert Heffernan 20 km walk N/a 1:20:18 9
Brendan Boyce 50 km walk N/a 3:55:01 29
Colin Griffin N/a DSQ
Robert Heffernan N/a 3:37:54 NR 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Women
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Joanne Cuddihy 400 m 52.09 4 q 51.88 5 Did not advance
Fionnuala Britton 5000 m 15:12.97 10 N/a Did not advance
10000 m N/a 31:46.71 15
Derval O'Rourke 100 m hurdles 12.91 4 q 12.91 5 Did not advance
Stephanie Reilly 3000 m steeplechase 9:44.77 9 N/a Did not advance
Jessie Barr
Claire Bergin
Michelle Carey
Catriona Cuddihy
Joanne Cuddihy
Marian Heffernan		 4 × 400 m relay 3:30.55 6 N/a Did not advance
Linda Byrne Marathon N/a 2:37:13 66
Ava Hutchinson N/a 2:37:17 68
Caitriona Jennings N/a 3:22:11 107
Olive Loughnane 20 km walk N/a 1:29:39 13
Laura Reynolds N/a 1:31:02 20
Field events
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Distance Position Distance Position
Tori Pena Pole vault NM — Did not advance
Deirdre Ryan[15] High jump 1.85 27 Did not advance

Badminton

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Ireland qualified two badminton players for the Games. Scott Evans competed in the men's singles and Chloe Magee in the women's singles.; each made their second appearance at an Olympic Games.[16]

Athlete Event Group stage Elimination Quarterfinal Semifinal Final / BM
Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Rank Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Rank
Scott Evans Men's singles  Lin D (CHN)
L 8–21 14–21		 N/a 2 Did not advance
Chloe Magee Women's singles  Hosny (EGY)
W 21–17 21–6		  Pi (FRA)
L 21–16 18–21 14–21		 2 Did not advance

Boxing

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Ireland qualified boxers for the following events.

Boxer Katie Taylor wins Ireland's first gold in 16 years
Men
Athlete Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Rank
Paddy Barnes Light flyweight Bye  Essomba (CMR)
W 15–10		  Singh (IND)
W 23–18		  Zou (CHN)
L 15–15+		 Did not advance 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Michael Conlan Flyweight Bye  Micah (GHA)
W 19–8		  Oubaali (FRA)
W 22–18		  Ramírez (CUB)
L 10–20		 Did not advance 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
John Joe Nevin Bantamweight  Ceylan (DEN)
W 21–6		  Abutalipov (KAZ)
W 15–10		  Valdez (MEX)
W 19–13		  Álvarez (CUB)
W 19–14		  Campbell (GBR)
L 11–14		 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Adam Nolan Welterweight  Sánchez (ECU)
W 14–8		  Zamkovoy (RUS)
L 9–18		 Did not advance
Darren O'Neill Middleweight  Akanji (NGR)
W 15–6		  Hartel (GER)
L 12–19		 Did not advance
Women
Athlete Event Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Rank