Ards and North Down Prepares to Celebrate Local Sporting Excellence at Olympic Homecoming

Ards and North Down Borough Council is hosting a homecoming event on Friday 16 August in Conway Square Newtownards to celebrate the success of local Olympians at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Free to attend activities with a sporting theme will run from 4pm in Conway Square, Newtownards, with the arrival of special sports guests from 6.30pm.

A total of 10 athletes from Ards and North Down competed at this year's Summer Olympic Games in Paris, with both Rhys McClenaghan (Gymnastics) and Jack McMillan (Swimming) winning gold medals. Our Borough is proud to have had the most Olympians of any Borough in Northern Ireland at this year's Summer Olympics.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, said:  "The participation and success of our Borough's athletes on the world stage is unprecedented. We have all enjoyed supporting them throughout this year's Summer Olympic Games and their achievements will undoubtedly inspire others to follow in their footsteps. 

"Friday evening's event provides everyone with a great opportunity to show their support in person.  We particularly hope local sports clubs will turn out, in their kits, as this will be a great visual reminder of the diverse range of sports enjoyed across our Borough and maybe encourage more people to sign up to have a go.  

"I look forward to celebrating at Conway Square in Newtownards on Friday and hope many others will join me."

Shops and businesses in the town have been showing their support for the Games with a number of sporting-themed window displays - many in gold in honour of Newtownards native McClenaghan.

President of Newtownards Chamber, Derek Wright said: "There were a lot of people in Newtownards holding their breath throughout Rhys' Olympic performance who will now be looking forward to making a lot of noise on Friday night when he appears in Conway Square.   As a town, we are delighted to have something so positive to celebrate and it is great to see local businesses get behind Rhys and the other local athletes with window displays and special Olympic-themed menus in some of our hospitality venues.  We look forward to welcoming many people to the town on Friday evening."  

Shops and businesses throughout the town will open late on Friday to support the Homecoming event. 

Come along to Newtownards on Friday evening for the homecoming event and show your support for all those who represented Ards and North Down on the world stage.

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Who are our Paris 2024 Olympians?

Rhys McClenaghan 

• Discipline: Gymnastics, Pommel Horse 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Newtownards 
• Medal: Gold 

2024 Olympic Gold Medallist, Rhys McClenaghan, from Newtownards, competes for both Ireland and Northern Ireland. His breakthrough came in 2016 with a bronze at the British Championships, trailing only Olympians Louis Smith and Max Whitlock. 

Rhys, a pommel horse specialist, is hailed as the best of his generation. He clinched gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the European Championship. In 2019, he became the first Irish gymnast to qualify for a world championship final and win a medal. 

A double world champion in 2022 and 2023, Rhys also secured his second European title last year. He completed a gymnastic 'Grand Slam' with Olympic gold in Paris 2024, scoring 15.533. 

Training at Origin Gymnastics in Newtownards, Rhys's routine is intense, blending strength, flexibility, and mental training.  

Jack McMillan 

• Discipline: Swimming, 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 
• Team: GB
• Hometown: Belfast 
• Medal: Gold 

Jack McMillan began his journey at Bangor Swimming Club, where he trained alongside friends and fellow athletes. His dedication and hard work paid off when he won gold in the 200m freestyle and silver in the 100m freestyle at the 2018 World Schools Games. 

In 2022, McMillan made the switch to compete under the British flag and qualified for his first World Championships in 2023. He now trains with Team GB in Stirling, Scotland. 

McMillan's achievements include setting a new national record in the men's 400m freestyle at the Irish Open Swimming Championships. His perseverance and talent culminated in winning an Olympic gold medal as part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This victory was particularly meaningful as he dedicated it to his late parents, expressing how proud they would be of his accomplishments. 

Jack McMillan's journey from Bangor to the Olympic podium is a testament to his resilience and dedication to the sport. His success continues to inspire many young athletes in Northern Ireland and beyond. 

Abigale Lyle 

• Discipline: Equestrian, Dressage 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Bangor 

Abi's journey into the equestrian world began from a non-equine background. After completing her GCSEs, she convinced her parents to buy her a horse. She initially attended Queen's University to study English and Film but left after 18 months to work as a groom in a racing yard. In 2009, she moved to England to work and train at an equitation school. 

Under the guidance of former Olympian Carl Hester, Abi reached international levels of competition. She now trains 10 horses at a yard in Moreton-in-Marsh, Cotswolds, and made her international debut in 2014. Abi acquired Giraldo, affectionately known as 'Arty', when he was four. Their major breakthrough came in 2022, competing in the World Championships in Denmark and later at the London Excel Grand Prix, where she scored 72.25% in the Freestyle, securing a top 10 finish, a feat she repeated in December 2023. 

In 2024, Abi won the CD13* Freestyle at Addington and reached the Freestyle finals at two CD14* events in Le Mans and Hagen. Riding 'Arty', she finished sixth in her group at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a score of 69.441 in the individual dressage competition held at the stunning Palace of Versailles.

Rachel McCann 

• Discipline: Athletics, 4 x 400m, Mixed and Female 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Bangor 

Rachel's journey in sports began with hockey and ballet during her childhood. It wasn't until she started secondary school that she joined an athletics club. Despite this later start, she anchored the Irish women's 4x400m team, which nearly secured a medal at the European Juniors (U20) in 2019. 

This year, Rachel has shattered her personal bests in both the 200m and 400m events. She delivered an outstanding performance to claim silver behind Sophie Becker at the Nationals last month. Additionally, she was part of the women's 4x400m squad that finished fifth at the World Indoors in March. Rachel is currently on an athletics scholarship at Queen's University, where she is studying pharmaceutical science. 

Ciara Mageean 

• Discipline: Athletics, 1500M 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Portaferry 

Ciara Mageean hails from Portaferry and grew up in this close-knit community there. She developed her athletic skills, initially playing camogie, which she credits for her agility and competitive edge on the track. 

Ciara's journey from being a World and European Junior silver medallist in 2010/2011 to becoming the European senior champion this year has been challenging due to injuries. Despite these setbacks, she secured a European bronze medal in 2016, another bronze indoors in 2019, and a silver in 2022. 

After joining an elite training group under coach Helen Clitheroe in Manchester, the Portaferry native significantly improved her speed and racing skills. She finished fourth at the World Championships last year and completed her European medal collection with a gold in Rome this June. Her time of 4:14.58 in Monaco last year ranks her as the fifth fastest female miler in history. She was also a semi-finalist in Rio 2016. Unfortunately, due to injury, Ciara had to withdraw from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

 Rory McIlroy 

• Discipline: Golf, Men's Stroke Play 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Holywood  

Throughout his youth and amateur career, Rory McIlroy consistently impressed across Ireland and the UK. He achieved his first hole-in-one at just 10 years old, left school at 16 to pursue his golfing dreams, and won the European Amateur Championship in Milan at 17. By 18, he had reached the top of the amateur rankings before turning professional. 

Rory's professional career took off rapidly. Before turning 23, he won two of golf's four major championships—the U.S. Open in 2011 and the PGA Championship in 2012. He joined the elite ranks of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as one of the few players to win four majors before the age of 25 and spent over 100 weeks as the world's top-ranked golfer. 

Rory has also been instrumental in helping Europe secure five Ryder Cup victories in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2023. 

His accomplishments have earned him national recognition, and in 2012, at just 22, he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to sport and outstanding global achievements. 

An avid Manchester United fan, Rory made his Olympic debut representing Ireland at Tokyo 2020, narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish. He also finished in a tie for fifth in the men's golf competition at Paris 2024. 

Michael Robson 

• Discipline: Men's Hockey 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Holywood 

Michael made his debut against England ten years ago and since then has won a European bronze medal (2015), played in the 2018 World Cup, and helped Ireland qualify for the 2016 Olympics while he was studying a BSc in Finance at Queens. He was a travelling reserve in Rio in 2016. He took time out of his career as an accountant with EY-Parthenon to spend three years playing professionally in Germany with Crefelder (2017-2020), where younger brother Callum also played. 

Peter McKibbin 

• Discipline: Hockey, Men's 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Comber 

Peter has 48 caps to his name and did a one-year stint with Hamburg-based outfit Grossflottbeker THGC before returning to play for Lisnagarvey. McKibbin won an Irish Senior Cup title and EuroHockey Club Trophy with the Lisburn-based club in 2024 and has further national leagues and cups to his name. McKibbin made his senior Irish debut in 2019 against Scotland and was a part of the Irish team who won EuroHockey Division II bronze in 2021, and gold in 2023. He has a degree in sport and exercise science from Ulster University and works in procurement for the N.I. Civil Service. 

Grace Davison 

• Discipline: Swimming, 4 x 100m Freestyle; 4 x 100m Medley Relay 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Bangor 

Over the past year, Grace has consistently broken the Irish Junior 100m freestyle record, lowering it to 55.44 at the Irish trials in May. She also secured gold in the 400m IM and silver in the 200m IM at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games. 

Having just completed her GCSEs, the 16 year-old, Ireland's youngest Olympian, competed alongside Ards Swimming Club teammates Victoria Catterson, Larne Swimming Club star Danielle Hill and Erin Riordan for Ireland in the Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay. 

In the lively atmosphere of La Defense Arena, the Irish team finished eighth in a heat that included the United States and Team GB. 

Victoria Catterson 

• Discipline: Swimming 
• Team: IRL 
• Hometown: Belfast 

The Irish 200m freestyle record holder was a key member of the women's 4x100m medley relay team that set a national record of 4:01.25 at the 2023 World Championships in Japan. This achievement ranked them 13th globally and secured Ireland's first women's Olympic relay spot since 1972.  

After completing an accountancy course in 2023, she relocated from Belfast to train full-time at the National Centre in Dublin. In a lively La Defense Arena, the Irish team finished eighth in a heat featuring the United States and Team GB. 

Both Victoria and Grace are part of a golden generation of high-performance swimmers who have come through the ranks at Ards Swimming Club.