A variety of sporting achievement awards were handed out to Ireland's class of 2024 at the RTE Sport awards in Dublin last night. These gongs include Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Young Sportsperson of the Year.
Firstly, Paul O'Donovon landed the RTÉ Sport Sportsperson award for efforts in the Paris Olympics last summer. The Cork native became the first Irish Olympian to win medals at three consecutive games, winning Olympic gold at the double sculls in Paris and also gold at the World Rowing Championships single sculls.
Group Head of Sport with RTÉ, Declan McBennett, paid homage to the award winners.
"It was a truly remarkable year, and both the extent and nature of success for our remarkable athletes show how standards simply keep rising. The success is now coming across so many disciplines and codes that 2024 will act as a catalyst for even greater feats in the years ahead as a new generation is inspired to replicate the heroic efforts witnessed across RTÉ channels this year."
RTÉ Sport Awards 2024 winners
Sportsperson of the Year:
Paul O'Donovan
Achievements: Olympic Gold in the double sculls at Paris 2024, Gold at the World Rowing Championships in single sculls.
Young Sportsperson of the Year:
Róisín Ní Riain
Achievements: Double Paralympic medallist (Silver in 100m Backstroke S13 and Bronze in 200m Individual Medley SM13 at Paris 2024), Double European Champion (100m Backstroke and 100m Breaststroke).
Manager of the Year:
Willie Mullins
Achievements: Record-breaking year in horse racing with multiple Grade 1 victories, including eight at Cheltenham, and winning the Aintree Grand National with I Am Maximus.
Team of the Year:
Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly
Achievements: Gold and silver medals in road cycling at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, double world champions.
Hall of Fame Inductee:
Michael Carruth
Achievements: Former boxer and Olympic gold medallist (1992 Barcelona Games).
