Paralympics Ireland names first seven athletes for Paris

The first athletes have been announced to represent Team Ireland at the Paralympic Games this summer.

Paralympics Ireland named seven athletes, six swimmers and one table tennis player as the first confirmed participants in the Games, which take place from 28 August to 8 September.

Colin Judge represents Ireland for the second time in table tennis having competed at the 2020 Tokyo Games. The Dublin native has been in excellent form and will be hoping to build on his recent performances for Paris.

Deaten Registe and Dearbhaile Brady will both make their Paralympic debuts in swimming. Registe recently made his international debut at the European Championships and Brady goes into Paris with a European bronze medal from the same championships.

Meanwhile, Ellen Keane will be appearing at her fifth and final Paralympic Games. To date Keane has a Paralympic bronze and gold medal to her name. She recently won European silver in Madeira and will be hoping to add to her tally in Paris.

Nicole Turner will also bring experience to the team, competing in what will be the third Paralympic Games of her career. The Tokyo silver medallist goes into the Games with great confidence having won gold, silver and two bronze European medals this year.

Tokyo Paralympian, Commonwealth and European medallist Barry McClements travels to his second Games in Paris. His path to the Paralympic Games this time around has not been easy having suffered a fractured femur in September 2023.

Róisín Ní Riain will be looking to impress at her second Paralympics. The Tokyo star and double World Champion, who is currently studying at the University of Limerick, had an outstanding European Championships winning five medals including two golds.

"We are really delighted to