Tokyo 2020: Liam Jegou becomes Team Ireland's first selection for Olympics

Jegou finished top in Ireland's three-race selection criteria

Canoe slalom racer Liam Jegou has become the first Team Ireland athlete to be selected for this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The 24-year-old, based in France and from Ballyvaughan in County Clare, will compete in the C1 category at the Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre on 26 and 27 July.

He got a gold medal at last year's Under-23 World Championships and won the Junior World Championships in 2014.

"Being an Olympian has always been one of my biggest dreams," Jegou said.

"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. 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 was nominated for the 2020 slot after finishing on top in the three-race selection criteria, which included the World Championships in Spain, the event in which Ireland qualified the coveted Olympic berth courtesy of Robert Hendrick.

Jegou is the second Irish athlete ever to compete in the C1 Canoe Slalom at the Olympic Games after Mike Corcoran took party in Atlanta 1996.