Tokyo Olympics: NI hopefuls set sights on final destination with 100 days to go

Tokyo Tower lit up on Wednesday to mark 100 days to the opening ceremony

The 'will they, won't they' Tokyo Olympics are now just 100 days away, and the only certainty is that uncertainty will remain, most likely until the opening ceremony begins on 23 July.

Even then there will be hysteria around the first positive Covid-19 test, and there can be no doubt that despite all the countermeasures being put in place there will be positive tests throughout the 17 competition days.

This is why, outside of the exuberant public pronouncements from the International Olympic Committee and Japanese Organising Committee, there remains a great deal of scepticism that these Games can ever take place during a global pandemic.

But let's assume the Olympics will go ahead as planned - how are the preparations going for athletes from Northern Ireland competing for both Team GB and Team Ireland?

McClenaghan leading local medal charge

There were no medals brought home from Rio five years ago, after the successful London 2012 Games during which boxers Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan and rowers Richard and Peter Chambers and Alan Campbell all stood proudly on an Olympic podium.

Commonwealth and European champion Rhys McClenaghan hopes, indeed expects, to be contending for a medal in the pommel horse.

The Ards gymnast also has a World Championship bronze medal to his name and will be looking to complete the major set in Tokyo just days after his 22nd birthday.

His first competition since those World Championships in October 2019 comes next week at the Europeans when he will unveil his new routine.

Rowing and boxing look set to continue their tradition of high participation from Northern Ireland. Rebecca Shorten, Holly Nixon, Hannah Scott and Rebecca Edwards are all in line for selection to the GB rowing squad while Banbridge's Philip Doyle hopes to rediscover the form that saw him and partner Ronan Byrne win silver in the men's double sculls at the 2019 World Championships.

Lisburn's Kurt Walker is on course to qualify courtesy of his ranking points obtained since 2016

The European boxing qualifiers were halted halfway through last March by the first lockdown and are due to recommence in June.

There was still time for Brendan Irvine to secure a place in his second Olympics and Kurt Walker looks set to join him because of his world ranking once the qualification process is completed. Fellow Commonwealth Games medallists Michaela and Aidan Walsh will continue their campaigns as well.

Katie Mullan looks set to captain the Ireland women's hockey team into their first Olympics with Ayeisha McFerran, Lizzie Colvin, Shirley McCay, Megan Frazer and Zara Malseed all hoping to join her while David Ames and Ian Sloan are both likely to be selected for the Team GB men's squad.

Trap shooter Kirsty Hegarty has already been selected to represent Great Britain and looks set to be joined by archer Patrick Huston who will be competing at his second Olympics.

Marathon running in Ireland has been dominated by northern athletes with Kevin Seaward, Stephen Scullion and Paul Pollock all within the qualifying time while Anne-Marie McGlynn sits just outside the qualification places in the world rankings.

Ciara Mageean also has the 1500m qualifying time but her ambitions are much higher than just going to the Games. The Portaferry athlete will be looking to compete in an Olympic final.

Ciara Mageean broke two Irish records last summer

The qualification period for athletics continues until June so there is plenty of time for others to make their mark.

Triathlete Russell White is currently clinging onto the final spot in the men's field but there are still six counting races planned before the end of qualification.

Decisive swimming trial not far away

The Irish Olympic swimming trials take place in Dublin next week with plenty of local participation. Conor Ferguson just missed out on the Rio Games by less than a second and will be looking to make amends while fellow Larne Swimming Club athlete Danielle Hill and Bangor's Jack McMillan have both produced recent times that have been very close to what they will need to qualify.

County Down three-day eventer Joseph Murphy on board Cesar V have been shortlisted for selection for Team Ireland while world track cycling medallists Mark Downey and Lydia Boylan are almost certainly going to Tokyo to compete in the omnium and Madison events in the Velodrome.

Final qualifying opportunities for sailors Liam Glynn and Oisin McClelland and canoe slalomist and 2012 Olympic finalist Hannah Craig for Team Ireland and canoe sprinter Afton Fitzhenry for Team GB come up in May.

Finally the big question is can Rory McIlroy rediscover his form in time to challenge for Olympic gold? He'll be alongside Open champion Shane Lowry while Ireland will be represented by Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow in the women's golf, both players currently showing some excellent form.

So there you have it - the next 100 days will see some dreams shattered and others come true with the opportunity to compete on the highest stage the sporting world has to offer. However what the next 100 days has in store for the world, who knows? The hope would be that athletes from across the globe will be able to gather safely once more in Tokyo for an Olympics.

A symbolic Games… like no other the world has ever seen.