Irish athletes qualify for Winter Olympics

Ireland will be represented for the first time at the Winter Olympics in the Women’s Bobsleigh competition following this afternoon’s successful run in San Moritz by pilot Aoife Hoey and brakewoman Leona Byrne.

More good news came at the same venue when Ireland’s Pat Shannon took a qualifying spot for next month’s Vancouver Games in the Men’s Skeleton discipline.

Already qualified is Alpine downhiller Shane O’Connor.

The Olympic Council of Ireland hope to announce the full squad for Vancouver in the next week or so, depending on further qualification races in cross country skiing by former Olympic rower Paul Griffin and the recovery from injury of downhiller Kirsty McGarry.