Ireland’s Women’s Team Pursuit Squad Makes Historic Olympic Qualification

In a historic moment for Irish cycling, Alice Sharpe, along with her teammates Kelly Murphy, Lara Gillespie, and Mia Griffin, have secured the first-ever qualification for Ireland in the women’s team pursuit at the Olympics. This achievement is a dream come true for Sharpe, who was inspired by watching the 2000 Olympics as a child.

Sharpe, who was born in Germany and raised in England, showed her sporting potential at a young age and eventually transitioned to cycling after studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. Joining the high-performance program at Cycling Ireland in 2018, Sharpe’s dedication and hard work have paid off with this historic qualification.

The qualification process was a two-year journey that involved traveling the world to accumulate points at various events. The team’s success was built on the foundation laid by those who rode before them, and their silver medal at the Nations Cup in Hong Kong solidified their spot in the Olympics.

Despite the lack of a velodrome in Ireland, the team has persevered and continued to excel in world events. Sharpe, a two-time Irish National road race champion, will continue to compete on the roads before final preparations for Paris begin in June.

The qualification not only guarantees Ireland a spot in the women’s team pursuit but also secures a ride in the women’s Madison and Omnium events. Sharpe, who has been riding in the Madison with Griffin, looks likely to compete in that event as well.

As the team celebrates this historic achievement, they also look forward to the day when Ireland will have its own velodrome, providing them with the world-class facilities needed to further excel in the sport. Until then, Sharpe and her teammates will continue to train and prepare for their Olympic debut in Paris.