Our 8 Ad 
Astra athletes participating in Rio 2016 Summer Olympics – representing about 10% of the Irish Olympic team – took the international stage by storm, and brought home Olympic silver for Ireland. We’re delighted Stage 4 Physiotherapy student and Ad Astra Sports Scholar Paul O’Donovan, along with his brother Gary secured Olympic silver in the Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls. Paul trained at the Ad Astra High Performance Gym over the past four years, while also skilfully managing his academic progress. Paul went on to secure gold at the World rowing championship.
Our athletes produced stellar performances. Claire Lambe, along with her rowing partner Sinead Lynch, secured a mammoth achievement to finish in 6th place in the Women’s Double Skulls Rowing. She has made history by being part of the first Irish femalepair to reach a final in the Olympics.
Two time Olympian Arthur Lanigan-O’Keeffe produced a top ten finish for Ireland at the Rio Olympics with a come-from-behind eighth-place finish in the men’s modern pentathlon competition. He was one of only 6 athletes of 35 to jump a clear round.
Ciara Mageean, Women’s 1,500m, who recovered from a career threatening heel spur injury, placed 11th in the semi-finals, just twohundredths of a second shy of her seasonal best. Ciara went on to participate in the ‘Invitation’ Diamond League 1500m race in Paris on Saturday last, 25th August. She finished 9th in a time of 4:01.46 taking 5 seconds off her previous personal best. This moves her up to second on the Irish all-time list.
Mark English, finished fifth in his men’s 800m semi-final, while Ciara Everard bowed out in the heats of the Women’s 800m following a period out with injury.
Kirk Shim
mins and Shane O’Donoghue, made history and were crucial to the success of the first Irish Men’s Hockey team to qualify for the Olympic Games since 1908. The team pushed three sides in the world’s top seven to a single goal while they also recorded a first Olympic hockey win for Ireland since 1908.
