The locals to cheer on in the Olympic Games

Westmeath may be one of only two counties not to have a representative in the 133-strong Team Ireland contingent for the Olympic Games in Paris, but there are still lots of local connections.

Ballinasloe flyer Béibhinn Parsons gets her 2024 Olympics adventure underway on Sunday, when the Women's Rugby Sevens competitions begins.

Parsons and her Irish team mates are among 12 teams competing for medals in the event. Ireland begin with a high-profile encounter with Great Britain at 2.30pm on Sunday in Pool B.

Later that evening, they are out again against South Africa, at 6pm, with the final group game on Monday against Australia (1.30pm).

The top eight ranked sides will qualify for the quarter-finals, and the tournament will have concluded by Tuesday night next, with the gold medal match due to take place at 8pm.

Both Moydrum native Anna McGann and Aoibheann Reilly from Creagh had been part of the squad that qualified for Paris, but neither made the cut for the final squad selection, with McGann having just returned from serious injury, and Reilly sustaining a serious injury in the lead up to the games. However, Tullamore's Megan Burns is among the players in the squad for Paris.

The Men's Rugby Sevens gets underway tomorrow, Wednesday, and the Irish team features Jordan Conroy, a Tullamore man, who is contracted to Buccaneers RFC and who also previously played with Athlone Town.

Conroy is in his second Olympics and Ireland take to the pitch at 4.30pm on Wednesday for a Pool A clash with South Africa, before taking on Japan at 8pm. The group stage concludes with a game against New Zealand on Thursday at 3.30pm. Similar to the women's format, twelve teams are taking part across three groups of four, with the top 8 ranked sides reaching the quarter finals. The medals will be decided on Saturday.

Meanwhile, there will be plenty to cheer about locally in the sailing competition, with one of the competitors having strong Athlone connections.

Robert Dickson (26) who competes in the 49er Class, learned to sail at Lough Ree Yacht Club Athlone, in the late 2000s when staying with cousins in Coosan.

Robert, from Sutton in Dublin, started in the Junior sailing dinghy at Lough Ree Yacht Club, the Optimist, but quickly moved on to sail and race in the Mirror & 420 Dinghy where he quickly excelled.

In 2009 Robert, representing Lough Ree Yacht Club, won the gold medal at junior fleet level in the Optimist Connacht Championships.

Dickson (helm) has already represented Ireland in the Tokyo Olympics along with compatriot Sean Waddilove who joins him in the 49er class boat.

The duo will compete over twelve races, from Sunday next to Wednesday, with the medal race on Thursday.

Roscommon man Paul McNamara, who was involved as a coach with Athlone IT, is the team manager of the Team Ireland athletics squad at the games, whilst Westmeath Independent reporter Geraldine Grennan is the mother of boxer Gráinne Walsh, from nearby Tullamore, who competes in the 66kg women's event.

Joining Gráinne in the boxing team is Castlerea woman Aoife O'Rourke, who competes in the

Clara native Shane Lowry competes in the individual golf event from August 1 to August 4, alongside another Irish competitor, Rory McIlroy.

Overall, Team Ireland is comprised of 64 female athletes and 69 male athletes.

In terms of geographical breakdown, the counties with the largest representation are Dublin (34 athletes), Cork (16 athletes), and Down (14 athletes). Only two counties are missing from the list – Westmeath and Leitrim.

History will be made, this year, by marathon runner Fionnuala McCormack when she becomes Ireland’s first female athlete to compete in five Olympic Games. Equestrian athletes Cian O’Connor and Austin O’Connor will become four-time Olympians.

There will be seven three-time Olympians including Olympic Champion Paul O’Donovan. Thomas Barr, Ciara Mageean Mark English (all athletics), Leona Maguire, Stephanie Meadow (both golfers) and Shane Ryan (swimming) complete the list.

The youngest team member is Grace Davison (swimming), at 16 years old, while the oldest is soon-to-be four-time Olympian Austin O’Connor (eventing).

There are plenty of family connections within the team – Sophie O’Sullivan (athletics), is the daughter of Olympic medallist Sonia O’Sullivan. Rachael Darragh (badminton) is the niece of three-time Olympian Chloe Magee, and Leona Maguire is the cousin of Ross Corrigan (rowing). Siblings Aidan and Michaela Walsh (boxing) are both competing once more, and track athletes Jodie and Luke McCann.