Rory McIlroy will compete for Ireland at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games when the golf competition gets underway today.
McIlroy’s nationality is listed as Northern Ireland on the U.S. Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour.
Northern Ireland is located in the northeast of the island of Ireland, but it is part of the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland, and Wales.
This would seem to indicate that McIlroy should be representing Great Britain, not Ireland, but he also competed for Ireland at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
This is due to the historical ties between Great Britain and Ireland, and the Olympic committees of both countries have an agreement that allows athletes from Northern Ireland to compete for either Great Britain or Ireland.
When McIlroy pulled out of Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the first time golf became an Olympic sport, some speculated that it was because he found it difficult to choose between Great Britain and Ireland.
McIlroy, who will represent Ireland at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, explained his decision in an interview, saying, “I feel more British than Irish, but I played for Ireland as an amateur.”
In total, there are 37 athletes from Northern Ireland competing in Paris, with only six representing Great Britain.
Daniel Whippen (IRE), who swam the men’s 800-meter freestyle, became the first Northern Irishman to win an Olympic gold medal in 36 years.
Whippen is the first Northern Irishman to win an Olympic gold medal since Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood represented Great Britain in men’s hockey at Seoul 1988.
There has also been a strong showing from Northern Irish athletes at the Games, with Jack McMillan winning gold in the men’s 800-meter freestyle relay for Great Britain.
If McIlroy also wins gold, it will be the third Northern Irish athlete to top the podium at the Games. 안전놀이터