WATCH | Double Olympian Darragh Greene crowned Longford Leader Sports Star of the Year 2024

Accomplished swimmer Darragh Greene was announced as the overall Longford Sports Star of the Year award winner at the 2024 Longford Leader Sports Star Awards, in association with Longford Sports Partnership, in the Longford Arms Hotel at the end of November. 

Tony Ghee, master of ceremonies, interviewed Darragh, who represented his parish, county and country at the Olympic Games in Paris earlier this year and previously in Tokyo. 

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Describing it as a huge honour to have represented Ireland at the Paris Games, double Olympian Darragh Greene is the recipient of another Longford Leader Sports Star Award in the swimming category.   

A galaxy of stars descended on Paris for the 2024 Olympics with the official opening ceremony on Friday July 26 and competing against the best in the world was Longford’s own Greene machine.

Becoming an Olympian for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Games (deferred for a year due to the Global Covid Pandemic) was a dream come true for the outstanding Newtownforbes native and one of Ireland’s elite athletes repeated that magnificent feat.

Darragh represented  his country in the Breaststroke leg of the 4 x 100m Medley Relay in Paris while the other members of the team were Shane Ryan (Freestyle), Conor Ferguson (Backstroke) and Max McCusker (Butterfly).

Speaking on representing Ireland Greene said: “You can’t beat it, it’s one of the main reasons we do this sport and train so hard, it’s huge to represent your county and anything after that is a bonus.”

Placed sixth in Heat 2 in a time of 3:33.81 (setting a new Irish record in the process) and who finished 11th overall in the star studded event, it was a great achievement by the quartet with 28-year-old Darragh swimming the Breaststroke leg in superb style.  

Going into the Men's medley relay at the Olympics ranked 15th in the world, It was a brave bid by the boys to qualify for the final with the Top 8 in the heats  progressing to the medals decider. 

The next major swim for dynamic Darragh will be the 2025 World Aquatics Championships to be staged in Singapore, making it the first Southeast Asian country to do so. 

The premier event, to be held from July 11 to August 3, is expected to attract over 2,000 competitors from over 190 countries and will host the best athletes from the top aquatic countries.