Could this be Northern Ireland’s greatest ever Games?

Daniel Wiffen, Hannah Scott and Rhys McClenaghan are all gold medal contenders

It has been 36 years since an athlete from Northern Ireland won an Olympic gold medal.

With a record number of athletes competing in Paris, 2024 could be the year that wait ends.

I wasn’t born when Lady Mary Peters won gold in the pentathlon at the 1972 Munich Olympics but as a teenager, I stayed up late into the night to watch the Great Britain men’s hockey team featuring NI's Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood win the Olympic title in Seoul in 1988.

Those three are the only athletes from Northern Ireland to bring home an Olympic gold medal.

After more than three decades and now, reporting on my seventh Games, I believe the wait is over to see another.

Of the 37 athletes in Paris, six are representing Team GB with the other 31 competing for Team Ireland across 12 sports, and many have already won medals at Commonwealth, European and World level.

For the first time, Northern Ireland has three current world champions competing at an Olympics.

The most decorated is Newtownards gymnast Rhys McClenaghan. Representing Team Ireland at the Games, he is a two-time world champion on the pommel horse, a three-time European champion and a Commonwealth Games gold medal winner (for Northern Ireland).

An Olympic title would complete the gymnastics 'Grand Slam'.

Daniel Wiffen from Magheralin became the first Team Ireland swimmer to claim global titles when he won the 800m and 1500m freestyle at this year's World Championships. That’s to go along side a litany of national records, a European record and a world record in the short course 800m freestyle.

Coleraine rower Hannah Scott was pivotal in helping Great Britain win the women’s quad sculls at last year’s World Rowing Championships in Belgrade.

The quartet added the European title this year and go into Paris as favourites.

In fact, rowing could be the epicentre of Northern Ireland success.

Scott’s team-mate Rebecca Shorten is a former world champion in the women’s four and will compete alongside Team GB's two-time Olympic winner Helen Glover.

They are unbeaten with a European title in the back pocket and favourites to win gold in Paris.

Rebecca Edwards was fourth in the women’s eight in Belgrade but earlier last season had won a World Cup gold. Now in the women’s pair, the Aughnacloy rower should not not be dismissed.

For Team Ireland, Philip Doyle from Banbridge and County Fermanagh duo Nathan Timoney and Ross Corrigan won world championship medals last year so are ones to watch.

Michaela Walsh, Daniel Coyle and Ciara Mageean could all increase the medal haul

Growing list of contenders

Danielle Hill and Ciara Mageean, both representing Team Ireland, are recently crowned European champions in the pool and on the track respectively.

Derry’s Daniel Coyle is a member of the number one world ranked Ireland showjumping squad and individually is just outside of the top 10.

World number three golfer Rory McIlroy was unable to win a fifth major in 2024 but could he bounce back and claim an Olympic title?

In boxing, Belfast's Aidan Walsh won Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo for Team Ireland, his sister Michaela is also in action in the ring.

Jude Gallagher completes the Northern Ireland trio in Paris. All three are Commonwealth Games champions.

Great Britain are ranked second in the world in men’s hockey and Cookstown’s David Ames, in his third and final Olympics, will captain Team GB as they look to get themselves in contention.

Whatever way you look at it, Northern Ireland has produced a stellar line-up of sporting talent, but that will not guarantee a golden summer in the French capital.

Since 1988 the likes of Wayne McCullough, Richard and Peter Chambers and Wendy Houvenaghel have come close with silvers. Paddy Barnes won a pair of bronze medals, as did Michael Conlan, Alan Campbell, Jackie McWilliams and Aidan Walsh.

Northern Ireland has waited long enough for its list of Olympic champions to grow. If the stars align, the country may have a few more heroes to celebrate.