EUROPEAN RYDER CUP captain Paul McGinley will lead the Irish golf team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
The Olympic Council of Ireland announced team leaders in 17 sports today including McGinley, who earned widespread praise for masterminding Europe’s win at Gleneagles earlier this year.
Athletics Ireland high performance director Kevin Ankrom and Swim Ireland chief Peter Banks will again head up Ireland’s teams on the track and in the pool.
Each team leader takes responsibility for their particular sport and athletes’ performances. Former shooting coach Kevin Kilty has been named as the Irish Chef de Mission.
The Rio Games marks the return of golf as an Olympic sport for the first time since 1904. Four-time Major champion Rory McIlroy and world number 15 Graeme McDowell are the favourites to represent Ireland with qualification based on the world rankings.
McGinley said: “It was a great honour for me over the last two years to represent Europe as captain and I am now delighted to have the opportunity to assist my country.”
Ireland’s pre-Olympic acclimatisation camp is expected to take place in the southeastern city of Uberlandia, approximately 400 miles from Rio.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport today announced an extra €2 million in supplementary funding as part of the preparations.
It includes €1 million for equipment for National Governing Bodies, €1 million towards preparation programmes for high performance athletes, and €80,000 towards the development of a Special Olympics headquarters on the National Sports Campus.
Minister for Sport Michael Ring TD said: “It is important that as the economy recovers and additional funding may become available that we facilitate the promotion of sport at every level.
“The social, mental and physical benefits associated with sports mean that we must do all we can to encourage participation at local level and do all we can to back our athletes as they progress.”
Ireland team leaders – Rio 2016 Olympics
- Athletics — Kevin Ankrom
- Badminton — Tom Reidy
- Boxing — Joseph Hennigan
- Canoeing — Ike Jacob
- Clay Pigeon Shooting — Jeffrey C McCready
- Cycling — Brian Nugent
- Golf — Paul McGinley
- Gymnastics — Sally Filmer
- Hockey — Mike Heskin
- Horse Sport — Triona Connors
- Judo — Ciaran Ward
- Modern Pentathlon — Lindsey Weedon
- Rowing — Morten Espersen
- Rugby Football — Gillian McDarby
- Sailing — James O’Callaghan
- Swimming — Peter Banks
- Triathlon — Chris Kitchen
