DROMBANNA’S Róisín Ní Riain will compete across several swimming events at the Paralympic Games.
The 19-year-old is entered in the 100m Backstroke, 200 IM (Individual Medley), and 100m Breastsroke, and carries serious medal prospects.
Ní Riain, who has a visual impairment, announced arrival on the world stage with a string of impressive outings at the World Para Swimming Series Italy in late 2020.
The teenager made her major championship debut at the European Championships in Madeira the following May where she won a bronze medal in the S13 backstroke and also made five other finals.
Shortly afterwards, Ní Riain made her Paralympics debut in Tokyo where she competed in six events and qualified for five finals.
She was Ireland’s youngest representative at those Games.
She is the current World Para Swimming Champion in the 100m Backstroke and also holds the World Record in the 200m backstroke, which she set last year.
In 2023, Ní Riain was nominated for an RTÉ Sports Award in both the Sportsperson of the Year and Young Sportsperson of the Year categories.
She also received a nomination for a HerSports Award in the Young Athlete of the Year category.
At the Swim Ireland awards the same year she was named Performance Para Swimmer of the Year.
At the Para Swimming European Championships earlier this year, Ni Riain returned with five medals: two gold, three silver and one bronze.
She is attached to Limerick Swimming Club.
While competing at an elite level in swimming, the talented athlete is also balancing her academic pursuits, and is studying for a Degree in Science at the University of Limerick.
Her first outing at the Games was onThursday.
