Róisín Ní Riain was just a teenager of 16 years when she first took to the pool in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games. Stakes were high as she qualified for five finals out of six competitions she took part in. Although she did not bring home any medals, she certainly made her mark.
In the subsequent three years, Ní Riain transformed into an unstoppable force in para swimming. The Limerick-born swimmer now takes pride in being the reigning 100-metre backstroke world champion in World Para swimming. She also holds the global record for the 200-metre backstroke.
Her outstanding performance continued in the Para swimming European Championships held in April this year in Portugal’s Madeira. She returned home triumphant with a total of five medals, two of which were gold. Ní Riain, who lives with a vision impairment, is set to participate in four different events at this year’s games. The first day of competition will see her in the S13 100-metre butterfly, and she’s also scheduled to compete on Friday in the S13 100-metre backstroke.
Reflecting on her last experience in Tokyo, the 19-year-old, who is currently a science teacher trainee at the University of Limerick, conveyed that her primary aim then was to fully absorb the atmosphere and gain experience. Over the years, participating in numerous global events has enhanced her knowledge and expertise in swimming.
On being asked about her objectives, the youngster acknowledged that as she grows older, the pressure and expectations also heighten. Nevertheless, she always aims to perform the best she can, endeavouring to derive satisfaction from her own efforts. Ní Riain reaffirmed that her ultimate goal is to regularly achieve personal bests and to utilize her skills to their utmost potential.
Ní Riain has made tremendous progress in her training, producing a record time of 1:09.26 in the 100-metre butterfly event during the Tokyo Games, and later outdoing herself by clocking in at 1:06.32 en route to securing a podium finish at the European Championships in April of the current year. Her performance has garnered hopes for her potential to clinch Ireland’s inaugural medal at this year’s Paralympics.
The mounting expectations after Tokyo, as Ní Riain mentions, can create a sense of pressure to perform. Her coping strategy, however, revolves around keeping a level-headed approach, not succumbing to anxiety, and ultimately enjoying the sport that she loves. Embracing this mindset, coupled with a drive to excel, she believes, might guide her to her highest capacity performance.
The medal prospects for Ireland, though, aren’t limited to Ní Riain on the pool’s initial day of the Games. Both Nicole Turner and Dearbhaile Brady are set to partake in the S6 50-metre freestyle event on this Thursday at La Défense Arena.
New to the team, the 17-year old Derry native, Brady, is about to embark on her first Paralympic journey, fresh from winning the bronze in the 50-metre freestyle category of the European Championships this year. Turner, 21, previously snagged silver in the 50-metre butterfly in the Tokyo tournament three years prior, and at the Portugal-hosted European event, she secured a gold, a silver, and two bronze medals this season. Both Brady and Turner belong to the short stature category.
Interestingly, Brady mentions that her knowledge of the Paralympics began upon learning more about Turner. Seeing her compete in Tokyo introduced Brady to the existence and essence of the Paralympics, an experience she had been unaware of previously.
Prior to the Tokyo Paralympics, Brady hadn’t been acquainted with Ellen Keane or Róisín, only knowing Nicole through the Little People of Ireland initiative. She recalls a photograph from several years ago where she’s posing with Nicole and her medal. Currently, Brady is all set to strive for her own medal in Paris.
Ní Riain is well-equipped to empathise with the thrill and anticipation Brady is feeling this week. She relates this to the eagerness she felt before her debut Games three years prior. As she prepares for her second Paralympics, Ní Riain places profound emphasis on delivering a stellar swimming performance.
Ní Riain expressed, “Each race for me is treated equally. Always aiming to perform my best and hopefully achieving a personal best is my end goal since that’s all I can control. I can’t dictate the performance of others nor control other external factors.”
She believes in the power of goal setting and aiming towards their achievement as the driving force behind her persistence.
Confidently, she added, “The effort I’ve exerted over these past few years gives me the assurance to believe that I’ve given my absolute best. I’m hopeful it will be rewarding on the day of the event.”