A stepping stone to the Olympics - Kilkenny duo selected by Team Ireland for Youth Games

Two of Kilkenny's leading young sport stars will fly the flag when they represent county and country at Europe's largest multi-sport event for teen athletes.

Molly Daly and Faye McDonnell have been named in a 35-strong squad for the Summer European Olympic Festival, which will be held in Skopje, North Macedonia later this month.

The news was announced by the Olympic Federation of Ireland, with the Kilkenny duo selected in a strong squad of 35 athletes across eight sports. Daly (Kilkenny City Harriers) will run in the women's 200m event and women's medley relay while McDonnell (Kilkenny Stars) is part of the women's 3x3 basketball team.

Running from July 20 to 27, the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) plays an important role in the overall development of athletes, as it mimics the Olympic Games model, preparing athletes for the nuances of performing in a multi-sport environment. This year’s event will see 48 countries across Europe participate in the event, with over 4,000 athletes competing.

READ MORE: Check out our athletics coverage here

"The EYOF is a key milestone on the Olympic pathway, a chance for athletes to gain invaluable experience in a high-performance, multi-sport environment," said Gavin Noble, Olympic Federation of Ireland Chef de Mission for the EYOF.
"This is a competitive and ambitious Team Ireland group, and while many are making their debut, they’re ready to step up. We are delighted to include a few new sports to this year’s programme, like Basketball 3×3, Table Tennis and Taekwondo, and look forward to supporting the whole team."

Ireland has had significant success in 24 years competing at the European Youth Olympic Festival, winning 72 medals in that time. The most successful Games for Team Ireland was in Tibilisi in 2015, with a total of 10 medals being spread across athletics and swimming.

Several of the current high-profile athletes have come through the EYOF ranks. Rhasidat Adeleke won two gold medals in 2019, while in 2017 Lara Gillespie became the first athlete to medal in cycling. Tokyo Olympians Ciara Mageean, Louise Shanahan, Síofra Cléirigh Buttner, Sarah Healy and Sarah Lavin all medalled in previous EYOFs. The EYOF is a great learning ground for young athletes preparing them for senior games.

The Irish team departs for Skopje on July 18t. Coverage of the Games can be viewed here with daily recaps and results of the Irish action on the Team Ireland channels.