Malachy Clerkin
What are you looking forward to most about the Paris Olympics?
It’s still, for all its many, many faults, a gloriously simple thing – every country in the world sending its young people to go and play sport against each other. Every event you go look at, you’re watching the moment in someone’s life that every other moment has been leading to. Hard to beat that.
What are you looking forward to least?
There’s always an off-field ... something. We don’t know what it is yet. Irish competitors have been the subject of doping stories at four of the last seven Olympics, so hopefully not that. But the world is febrile right now so nothing will be a surprise.
How many Irish medals is a realistic target?
Eight, I reckon. Nothing is guaranteed and anything can go wrong. But let’s say three in boxing, two in rowing, two in swimming, one in gymnastics. That’s without any contributions from Rhasidat Adeleke, Rory McIlroy or the showjumpers. Exciting.
What is going to be the most compelling Irish story of the Games?
Kellie Harrington. She probably wouldn’t still be boxing if it had been a normal four-year cycle after Tokyo. Every outcome is possible, from a successful defence of her gold medal to an early exit. Impossible to take your eyes off her, whatever happens.
[ Kellie Harrington: ‘I just went to the really darkest of the darkest places’Opens in new window ]
Which non-Irish interest event do you reckon is unmissable?
The men’s basketball looks set up to be a lot of fun. USA are obviously the favourites but they crashed at the World Cup and will be gunning to make up for it. LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid – they won’t lack for stars anyway. But in France, Canada and Serbia, they have plenty of competition.
Sonia O’Sullivan
What are you looking forward to most about the Paris Olympics?
I am most looking forward to sitting in the stands and seeing my daughter Sophie walk out for the women’s 1,500m heats on August 6th. It’s been a rollercoaster to get here since she surprised us by qualifying in Budapest last summer. Hoping she can go one step further this time.
[ Sophie O’Sullivan beats her mother’s best time over 800 metresOpens in new window ]
What are you looking forward to least?
The crowds, security queuing and diversions likely to be in place entering and leaving the stadium. And the time it takes to figure out where everything is in a short time.
How many Irish medals is a realistic target?
I think we have the ability to win 10 medals, if everything were to go perfect. But taking into account the tiny margins of error, we most likely will come home with seven or eight medals.
What is going to be the most compelling Irish story of the Games?
This will revolve around Rhasidat Adeleke, what she can do individually and how she can contribute to the women’s 4x400 relay team.
Which non-Irish interest event do you reckon is unmissable?
There are too many unmissable finals on the track but my top three are: the women’s 800m, can Keely Hodgkinson win gold? The women’s 400m hurdles, can Femke Bol overcome Sydney McLoughlin-Levrone? And the men’s 1,500m, can Jakob Ingebrigtsen defend his title or will world champion Josh Kerr be ready for him again?
Johnny Watterson
What are you looking forward to most?
Rashidat Adeleke running in the 400m. Her times will probably have to be faster than she has run before but to see an Irish athlete compete with the world’s best sprinters for the first time will transform the level of interest in that event.
What are you looking forward to least?
The possibility of the Chinese swimmers involved in the doping scandal before the Tokyo Games winning gold medals and standing on an Olympic podium. Eleven who tested positive for the banned performance enhancing drug Trimetazidine have been allowed to compete in Paris.
How many Irish medals is realistic?
Let’s go out on a limb and say six. Ireland will have more opportunities than that but won’t get them all. A good draw in boxing and maybe two there. Sticking with optimism, Taekwondo, gymnastics, rugby, swimming and rowing perhaps.
What is going to be the most compelling Irish story of the games?
Kellie Harrington, if she can successfully defend her Olympic title. If she does, she will do something Katie Taylor was unable to achieve. Hammer thrower Dr Pat O’Callaghan was the last Irish athlete to do it, in 1928 and 1932.
Which non-Irish interest event do you reckon is unmissable?
Simone Biles, the seven-time Olympic medallist and 23 times world champion, who let go of the sport and revealed former US doctor Larry Nassar had sexually assaulted her. She has come back and is twisting again in Paris.
Denis Walsh
What are you looking forward to most about the Paris Olympics?
The stories that pop up out of nowhere, often about people you’ve never heard of, in sports you ordinarily pay no attention to. Good news and bad news. The Olympics never ceases to surprise.
What are you looking forward to least?
Airport-style security materialised at Olympics after 9/11 and layers of extra security have been added since. Queuing everywhere is part of the Olympic experience. At least the temperature checks from Tokyo have been stood down.
How many Irish medals is a realistic target?
Ireland has an outstanding chance of medals in rowing, boxing, golf, swimming and gymnastics. There is also a chance of medal on the track and for the equestrian team. Eight to 10 medals. Nothing less.
What is going to be the most compelling Irish story of the Games?
Track and field remains the most glamorous of all Olympic sports and there will be no shortage of Irish stories in the stadium, but Paul O’Donovan’s pursuit of a barrier-breaking third Olympic medal in rowing will be a headline-maker.
Which non-Irish interest event do you reckon is unmissable?
If basketball floats your boat, the hall-of-fame United States team of LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and their chums will be worth seeing, at least once. But keep flicking. You’ll find something you never knew you liked.
Ian O’Riordan
What are you looking forward to most about the Paris Olympics?
The men’s 1,500 metres. Ever since Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the gold medal in Tokyo (three years ago) and lost the last two World Championships, the talk has been about the young Norwegian winning it back. Don’t you dare miss it.
What are you looking forward to least?
Those inevitable moments when the Olympics force you to suspend all belief, temporarily or otherwise, when performances suddenly become so much faster or higher or stronger as to appear too good to be true.
How many Irish medals is a realistic target?
There is realistic hope Ireland could win 10 medals. Inevitably, not all will hit that target, but consider a couple in rowing and in boxing, plus one each in swimming, golf, gymnastics, showjumping, sailing, and, yes, athletics, that’s your double-digits right there.
What is going to be the most compelling Irish story of the Games?
There’s enough talk about Rhasidat Adeleke already, so let’s move on to Daniel Wiffen. He’s just turned 23, set himself the not unrealistic target of winning three medals in swimming in Paris, starting with the 800m freestyle, then 1,500m freestyle followed by the 10km marathon (still set to take place in the Seine). If Wiffen pulls that off the entire swimming world will be talking about him.
Which non-Irish interest event do you reckon is unmissable?
There are lots of these on the track or field, but how about Femke Bol versus Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the women’s 400m hurdles? The Dutch star has never beaten McLaughlin-Levrone but this promises to be a battle royale, with the world record of 50.65 set last month by McLaughlin-Levrone unquestionably under threat.
Mary Hannigan
What are you looking forward to most about the Paris Olympics?
As ever, it’s the chance to see sports that rarely get TV coverage but end up mesmerising us for a couple of weeks. So, looking forward to otherworldly table tennis, badminton and volleyball rallies featuring supernatural reflexes. The BMX and skateboarding crews will also provide no end of craic.
What are you looking forward to least?
Same every Olympics: the daftness that is dressage. With any luck, Charlotte Dujardin’s depravity will lead to it being consigned to “sporting” history.
How many Irish medals is a realistic target?
All this optimism would leave your nerves shredded. We won four in Tokyo and now we’re talking about a double-digit haul. But it’s hard to avoid being hopeful ... would a forecast of eight be greedy?
What is going to be the most compelling Irish story of the Games?
Our women’s and mixed relay teams have already provided some of the sporting highlights of the year, so it will be fascinating to see how they fare in Paris. Those baton exchanges will be nerve-shredding, though.
Which non-Irish interest event do you reckon is unmissable?
Breaking, ie breakdancing. If only to try to figure out why the heck it’s in the Olympic Games.
