Limerick’s Róisín Ní Riain swims her way to Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Limerick’s Róisín Ní Riain pictured above, won five gold medals at the Citi Para Swimming World Series in Melbourne, leading Ireland to achieve second place on the overall medals table

Limerick’s Róisín Ní Riain announced as latest addition to Visa’s global programme supporting athletes on their journey to Paris 2024 

Visa, the Worldwide Payment Technology Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, has announced that 18-year-old Irish Paralympic swimmer Róisín Ní Riain has joined Team Visa ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The announcement comes following Róisín’s return from Australia where she won five gold medals at the Citi Para Swimming World Series in Melbourne, leading Ireland to achieve second place on the overall medals table.

Róisín, who lives and trains in Limerick, competes in the S13 category for athletes with a visual impairment and is a leading contender for a spot in Ireland’s Paralympic swim team for Paris 2024 in August. She is the current World Para Swimming Champion in the 100m backstroke, and she also holds the World Record in the women’s 200m backstroke, which she set in 2023.

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Supporting athletes on their journey to Paris 2024, the Team Visa programme provides financial support, assistance with philanthropic endeavours, financial literacy tools, and mental health and wellness resources.

As part of Team Visa, Róisín joins 117 Olympic and Paralympic athletes from 60+ markets, the largest and most diverse group of athletes in the programme’s history.

Róisín Ní Riain, Team Visa Para Swimmer, says: “I am thrilled to join Team Visa and become part of a team that celebrates equality and inclusivity. These are values that I will always champion – sports are open to all, no matter your journey. As the 2024 Paralympic Games draws closer, Visa’s support will be invaluable as I seek to secure a place for Paris.”

Conor Langford, Country Manager for Ireland, Visa, commented: “Róisín’s selection for Team Visa was a natural choice considering her remarkable success to date, both as an athlete competing at the highest level and as an advocate for inclusivity. Her ambition, grit and determination align with our own values, and we look forward to embarking with Róisín on this journey, supporting and championing her as part of Team Visa.” 

Róisín has already achieved remarkable success in her career. She is the current World Para Swimming Champion in the 100m Backstroke, and she also holds the World Record in the 200m backstroke, which she set in 2023. While competing at an elite level in swimming, Róisín is also balancing her academic pursuits, and is studying for a Degree in Science at the University of Limerick.

The 2023 World Para Swimming World Championships were a key qualification event for Ireland’s Paralympic swim team where Róisín secured the first quota spot for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.  A Quota Place guarantees that someone from a given country – not necessarily the athlete who earned it – will be competing in that Olympic event.

Competing at the Citi Para Swimming World Series in Melbourne on February 23-25, Róisín returns home with five gold medals for Ireland after outstanding performances in the 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 200m medley events. Impressively, Róisín won the 100m backstroke in 01:06:92 just off her personal best of 01:06:62 as well as winning the Butterfly in 1:06.36 (PB 1:06.00), a promising result as she sets her sights on winning a spot at the Paralympic Games in August.

To date she has won four medals at the World-Para Swimming Championships (2023 & 2022). Róisín also won a bronze at the European Para-Swimming Championship in 2021. She competed at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics at just 16 years old, one of the youngest participants, and made five finals.

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