Olympic Federation names cycling team for European Youth Olympics

Greta Lawless, Kate Murphy and Aliyah Rafferty during a Team Ireland portrait session at the Olympic Federation of Ireland offices ahead of the 2023 Summer European Youth Olympic Festival, which takes place from 23rd to 29th July in Maribor, Slovenia (Photo: Brendan Moran-Sportsfile)

The Olympic Federation of Ireland has named six cyclists among the 42-strong Irish team for the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF). The Youth Games - featuring a very wide range of sports - take place in Maribor, Slovenia, and will run from July 23rd to 29th.

In recent years the cyclists who have been selected for Ireland have performed very well - including Lara Gillespie taking a medal in the TT - and many of them have already gone on to become top junior and U23 riders.

Six cyclists will represent Ireland in cycling events, including the female and male road race, time trial and mountain bike events. The six riders are: Aliyah Rafferty, Conor Murphy, David Gaffney, Greta Lawless, Kate Murphy and Phillip O'Connor.

Philip O'Connor, left, Conor Murphy and David Gaffney, right, during a Team Ireland portrait session at the Olympic Federation of Ireland offices ahead of the 2023 Summer European Youth Olympic Festival *(Photo:: Brendan Moran-Sportsfile)*

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Ireland Chef de Mission for the EYOF, Nancy Chillingworth, said she was delighted to name the six cyclists among the large Irish team about to depart for the festival.

"The EYOF is Europe’s largest multi-discipline event for young athletes, and it is a vital step for Team Ireland athletes on the Olympic pathway," she said.

"This is an eager young group, with a mix of those travelling to their first multi-sport event and some who competed in the postponed EYOF last year, so we know that they are ambitious and will learn a lot.

"EYOF is also a great opportunity for coaches and support staff to learn and that mix of first-time and experience is evident within both the sport-specific coaches, as well as the performance support team which is led by Julianne Ryan, from the Sport Ireland Institute. I have no doubt that the athletes will have a wonderful experience and we are looking forward to supporting them to achieve their goals."