Olympics: Paris – the greatest ever Olympics for Northern Ireland

For the first time Northern Ireland had three current world champions competing in Paris.

Rhys McClenaghan, Hannah Scott and Daniel Wiffen are now Olympic champions.

They now want their success to inspire the children and young people who pack Northern Ireland’s gymnastics, rowing and athletics clubs and swimming pools and hockey pitches and every other sports organisation in the country.

“We can all be seen as coming from small towns here and there, and that demonstrates that with hard work, dedication and an obsession of your craft, you set out a goal and you aim for it pretty much your entire life and then it can happen one day,” said McClenaghan.

“Hopefully that’s an example for the younger generation, but also for the older generation aiming for those goals.”

Scott added, “What is possible is that it could be for anyone. I think anything is possible and you just have to put your mind to it. That’s where we had to start, and to be standing here today, we’ve dreamed of it but to actually be standing here is another thing, so anything is possible.”

Wiffen explained, “Yeah, 100% chase your dreams, you know what I mean?

“I was never a stand-out junior athlete. I was just training in my local club in Lisburn, and I was just training hard because I love the sport, and I love training, and then I just kept progressing and progressing.

“And the more I stayed in the water, the more I loved it, and then I started setting my sights even higher, and I just decided to start chasing my dreams, and anything’s possible when you have a dream in your head, so never give up.

“I’m only 23 and who knows what’s going to happen in the future, I’ve got a long swimming career ahead of me and to win the Olympic Games right now I’ve achieved everything in the sport that is possible.”