Eve McMahon from Howth in Co. Dublin, at just 20 years old, is the youngest Irish female sailor to qualify for the Olympic Games. She is set to compete in the ILCA 6 Class this Summer.
As a recent Alumna of the Institute of Education, Eve paid us a visit before she jets off with Team Ireland to the 2024 Olympic Games hosted in Paris.
At just 20 years old, Eve is reaching success at a rapid pace, “it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl and to be able to represent my country Internationally is amazing”.
Eve credits the ethos at The Institute of Education for allowing her to train while also keeping up with her studies, “the ethos is similar to universities, it’s focused and student-led… to have the high reputation and level of teachers here, I knew this was a place where I wanted to be”.
Speaking about her time at The Institute, Eve notes the role of staff and teachers that helped her balance responsibilities and support her in achieving her goals both academically and as an athlete.
“From the moment I stepped through the famous yellow doors, I was treated with a huge amount of respect and understanding... (The Institute helped me) to meet the demands of high-performance sport, whilst also balancing academics”.
Being an athlete on the biggest global stage of all, Eve had some advice for her fellow alumni, “dream big and reach for the stars, surround yourself with people who believe in you and support you. That’s exactly what I did here at The Institute”.
To hear more from Eve, watch the video below. From the entire Institute of Education community, we wish Eve every success in Paris 2024. We will be cheering you on from Leeson Street!
Nominations are now open for Young World Sailor of the Year 2024. Follow the link to nominate Eve: https://bit.ly/3zGGC5A.