So, just how good was this Olympics? Brendan O’Brien: It was superb. And it was badly needed. Rio was a bust for all sorts of reasons, Tokyo was the covid Games.
We needed this. Paris made for a stunning, unique backdrop, the transport was superb (take note Germany!) and the people embraced it. We’ll have to wait another generation to see it so close to home again.
Cathal Dennehy: Up there with the best. Granted, my in-person Olympic experiences only go back to London 2012, so a shallow sample size, but for venues it was undoubtedly the best ever, utilising the city and not wasting money on white elephants. The crowds were outstanding, the transport an absolute wonder.
Dublin could never. Maurice Brosnan: Very. Olympic costs can crush hosts.
Paris 2024 vowed they would have a more affordable showpiece. They avoided unnecessary developments and allowed the games to adapt to the city rather than the other way around. It helps that it is the ideal city for it.
An extraordinary level of sporting drama found the perfect stage. A best ever medal haul for Ireland. Which of them was your highlight? BOB : Probably Rhys McClenaghan’s gold.
The tension involved in watching a guy do that routine inside 45 seconds was unbearable. The sight of his smile and his clenched fists when he dismounted was everything you want to see for an Irish athlete at an Olympics. And it was all the better for his openness about his mental health in recent years.
CD: The unexpected one: Mona McSharry. N.