Liam Jegou has become the first Irish athlete officially selected for the Olympic Games in Tokyo later this year.
The 24-year-old will compete in the C1 Canoe Slalom and will be just the second ever Irish Olympian in that category. Mike Corcoran took part at Barcelona '92 and Atlanta '96.
"Being an Olympian has always been one of my biggest dreams," said Jegou, a native of Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.
"I started training when I was 11 or 12, the past month has been unbelievable knowing that I am going to compete for Team Ireland in the Olympics.
"In my sport the Olympics is everything, it’s what everyone works for in their sport. It’s such a select thing; there’s only one athlete per nation that gets to go and when you to go you just want to give it your all.
"Most people only get to go to the Games once or twice in their lives, and I’m certainly not going to let the opportunity pass me.”
Jegou won silver at the 2014 World Junior Championships and bronze at the World U23 Championships last year.
His event will take place at the Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre on July 26th - 27th.
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
