Olympic medals have always been decided by milliseconds and fingernails, but it was Dave Brailsford who introduced the world to the concept of ‘marginal gains’.

It is inevitable that the arrest of Pat Hickey in Rio de Janeiro will give rise to schadenfreude among more than a few people, writes Michael Clifford

They rowed every length, they heaved, they hunched over on their seats, and gritted their teeth...they even unleashed the famous Munster roar.

Michael Phelps sat alone, thoroughly exhausted. He put his head in his hands and then motioned at his neck as though he had nothing left to give.

Light-heavyweight Joe Ward found out about boxing injustice the hard way when he missed out on the London games but his focus now in only on Rio.

If you've managed to look up from Pokemon Go recently you may have noticed that the Olympic Games are about to kick off in Brazil, and it turns out your not the only one obsessed with the game.

It emerged this week that de facto Ukrainian show jumping team owner Oleksandr Onyshchenko has sold 44 of his horses to Germany’s Paul Schockemohle.

Fiona Doyle is ready for the spotlight.

Who will enter the national consciousness in 2016, and go from someone only an anorak or dedicated ‘Irish Examiner’ reader might know to a name — possibly even a face — that the casual sportsfan, even a Tubs or D’Arcy, might recognise? Here are tips offs about some names you can later brag to mates that you told them about them first.

World champion walker Rob Heffernan has said he is “dreaming” amid reports that he may be upgraded to Olympic bronze following the doping scandal that has engulfed world athletics.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

The Ireland athletics team manager fears the unfolding doping and corruption scandal may extend beyond Russia, who were accused yesterday of “sabotaging” the London Games.

Even now, after he’s gone and the Oireachtas hearing and the forest of newsprint his name and departure triggered, we don’t know what we’ve lost in Billy Walsh.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the debacle at last month’s European Championships that saw Cian O’Connor impeded in his round and Ireland denied a place in next year’s Olympics.

The 2015 Fina World Championships begins in the Russian republic of Tatarstan today and Chris Bryan will be the first of the Irish in action when he competes in the men’s 10K open water swim on Monday.

Boxers represent Ireland’s best hope of medals at the European Games which began in Baku last night.

Modern pentahlete, Natalaya Coyle, sits down for a Q&A with Brendan O'Brien. 

Oscar Pistorius is free to compete for South Africa again, as long as his running doesn’t go against the ruling of the judge.

Oscar Pistorius is free to compete for South Africa again – as long as his running does not go against the ruling of a judge.

Olympic gold medal winner Katie Taylor admits more should have been done to promote Irish boxing following the team’s heroics at the London Games in 2012.

Twitter is an addictive little application on my iPhone, but it’s more than just an app.

It’s a Disney dream come true for young cycling fanatic Clodagh Hayes from Cork — a training session with Olympic gold medal cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kennedy.

Kangaroo meat hopping off the menu

There was no doubting Annalise Murphy’s form yesterday as the National Yacht Club sailor clicked off two race wins in her qualification flight at the Laser European Championships on Dublin Bay.

A British stuntman who parachuted into the Olympic Stadium dressed as James Bond during the opening ceremony of London 2012 has been killed in a wingsuit accident.

Utterly dedicated to one another and to the pursuit of each other’s athletic goals, Rob and Marian Heffernan have long been described as “Team Heffernan”.

Katie Taylor’s father and coach believes women boxers are treated like second-class citizens.

Less than a year after the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Irish Sailing Association yesterday announced a title sponsor for the high-performance squad currently preparing for the next Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro.

Ireland’s ability to compete on the international sporting stage will be “destroyed” if the Government proceeds with plans to ban alcohol companies from sponsoring major sporting events.

Olympian Ciaran O’Lionaird returns to competition today 3,000m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in the Reggie Lewis Centre in Boston.

The idea of Ireland hosting Euro 2020 was mooted by the FAI last year. Ireland has also been suggested as a host for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

A month or so before the London Olympics, Billy Walsh travelled down to the Garda Training College in Templemore for a coaching course with a difference.

Irish Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor has sold the horse that brought him success at the London Games.

Irish sailor Peter O’Leary has escaped a ban by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after he bet on a competitor to win a race at the 2008 Beijing Games.

The roar and soaring stands of Thomond Park, the aura of the city as a sporting bear-pit, the passionate and knowledgeable support from the fans.

With a Tour de France victory and Olympic gold against his name in 2012, Bradley Wiggins is looking to fulfil further ambitions in cycling next year.

The last time most of us saw or heard of David Rudisha and Brother Colm O’Connell, the young Kenyan was stunning the world at the London Games and the Irish missionary was looking on back in Kenya, oblivious to the plaudits being showered his way.