Jack Ireland

Jack Ireland
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1999-08-26) 26 August 1999 (age 25)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportParalympic swimming
Disability classS14, SB14, SM14
ClubUniversity of Queensland SC
Coached byDavid Heyden
Medal record
Paralympic swimming
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris Mixed 4×100 m freestyle relay S14
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris 200 m freestyle S14
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Madeira Mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay S14
Silver medal – second place 2023 Manchester Mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay S14
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Manchester 200 m freestyle S14
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham 200 m freestyle S14

Jack Ireland (born 26 August 1999) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer with an intellectual disability. He won medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships. He competed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where he won a silver and bronze medal. [1]

Personal

He was born 26 August 1999.[2] He grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales.[3] He moved to Gladstone, Queensland in 2013 and attended Gladstone State High School. Jack moved to Brisbane in 2016 and attended his final school year via Brisbane Distance Education.[4]

Swimming career

Ireland started swimming at Floraville Public School in Newcastle, New South Wales.[3] He is classified as a S14 swimmer. At the age of thirteen, he moved to Gladstone QLD with his family and joined Gladstone Gladiators Swim Club. In 2016, he relocated to the Brisbane suburb of St Lucia, to be coached by David Heyden at the University of Queensland Swim Club.[3] Jack made his international debut in 2017 at the Para World Series In Indianapolis. In 2018, he competed at the Para Pan Pac Championships in Cairns as part of the Australia A Team. 2019 saw him selected as an Australian Dolphin #P304. At his first major international competition - 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, London, he finished 8th in the Men's 200m freestyle S14 final.[2]

At the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, he won a silver medal in the Mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay S14 and finished fourth Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 .[5]

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he won the bronze medal in the 200 m freestyle S14.[6] At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester, England, he won a silver and a bronze medal in S14 relay events.

At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he won the bronze medal in the Men's 200 m freestyle S14 and silver medal in the Mixed 4 x 100 m freestyle S14. [7][8]

He is coached by David Heyden at the University of Queensland Swim Club.[9]

Recognition-

  • 2016/17 - Swimmer with Disability of the Year by Brisbane Swimming in Queensland, Australia.[3]
  • 2016 - Gladstone Regional Council Australia Day Junior Athlete of the Year.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Swimming Team For Paris 2024 Games". Paralympics Australia. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Jack Ireland". Paralympics Australia. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Jack Ireland". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  4. ^ Dawson, Andrew (26 July 2018). "UQ Swim Club's Jack Ireland is indeed a sports star in every sense of the word". Quest News. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  5. ^ "2022 World Para Swimming Championships Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  6. ^ "New Trio Of Dolphins Completes Prestigious Commonwealth Games Pod". Commonwealth Games Australia. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Swimming Team For Paris 2024 Games". Paralympics Australia. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Ireland A Bronzed Aussie On Night Three | Paralympics Australia". www.paralympic.org.au. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Jack Ireland". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.