With Olympic medals for field and tracks events soon to attract handsome audiences at Paris 2024, 84 per cent of Ireland’s Sport for Business members regard athletics as an attractive prospect, up ten per cent on last year, tracking by Onside Sponsorship indicates. The report puts athletics 20 percentage points ahead of rowing, just slightly ahead of swimming. Ireland’s track hopes rest on the likes of Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean (above).
Unfortunately, Mageean had to withdraw from competing in the Games due to an achilles problem.
Sprinter Adeleke signed a two-year deal with KPMG in March, while European 1,500-metre medalist Mageean is an ambassador for Flogas and Lidl Ireland. Kim Kirwan, director of intelligence and insight at Onside, said the Olympics provides a shop window for Irish athletes to attract sponsorship deals. Brand owner will be the athletes closely during the games and a lot depends on their performances and what happens in terms of medals.
Swimmer Daniel Wiffen (above) from Co Armagh is sponsored by Enfer Medical clinical laboratory. He won the 800 and 1500 metres freestyle at the 2024 World Championships in Qatar. It was the first time a male Irish swimmer became a world champion. He also holds the 800 metres freestyle short course world record with a time of 7.20.46. The pool at Saint Denis is just a stone’s throw from Stade de France, a venue known to many Irish sports fans.
