Irish athletes welcomed home from Winter Olympics

Ireland's Anabelle Zurbay (second left), Cormac Comerford (right) , Ben Lynch (second right) and Thomas Maloney (rear left) arriving at Dublin Airport following the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire.

The four Irish athletes who competed in the Winter Olympics have been praised as they were welcomed back to Dublin.

Skiers Ben Lynch, Cormac Comerford, Anabelle Zurbay, and Thomas Maloney Westgard were greeted at Dublin Airport by their families on Monday.

At an event at the Department of Sport in Dublin city centre, they were praised by the staff of the Olympic Federation of Ireland and the Sports Minister, Patrick O’Donovan, before being presented with participation pins.

Nancy Chillingworth, Ireland’s chef de mission for Milano Cortina 2026, told the athletes that across all Olympics there are common themes of “strength, resilience (and) pursuit of excellence”, but the Winter Olympics bring “that little bit of madness”.

“And we absolutely love it,” she said.

“We are all just super proud of you, and thank you so much for making our job of supporting you very easy.” 

Ms Zurbay, 17, said it was scary to be competing next to the giants of Alpine skiing but advised people to “just have fun and see what happens”, while 30-year-old Mr Westgard, who has relatives in Galway but lives in Norway, said competing in the Milano Cortina Olympics was “like a dream”.

Mr Lynch, 23, who achieved Ireland’s best-ever result in the Winter Games after coming eighth in the Men’s Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe, said reality still had not sunk in.

“Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real. It’s a surreal experience for me still, but I’m just so happy that I was able to land that run,” he said on Monday.

Ireland's Ben Lynch with his father Kevin during the Team Ireland homecoming at Dublin Airport.  results. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire.

His father, Kevin, a rower from Dublin who has lived in Canada for almost 20 years, said the amount of time his son spends training “would put an international rower to shame” and said the competitions are “particularly brutal”.

“He gave me a hug after his first run, and he got his score, which was 13th, and it’s the top 12 to make the final. And as he hugged me, he said, ‘Dad, that was my best one ever. What am I going to do now?’ “I said, ‘Do your best’. So he did.” 

Mr Comerford, 29, from Dublin, who competed in several Alpine skiing events including the Giant Slalom and the Super-G, said his mother Anna taken him to try out skiing for the first time.

“We were up in my auntie’s house in Kilternan, close to the ski club. They mentioned that there was an open day on, so my mum brought us up, we had a look.

“There were some family friends who convinced us put on some long sleeves, long trousers, and go have a lesson. From that moment on, I was obsessed.

“I just love the feeling of going downhill, putting the skis on edge, the flow, the freedom that you have when you’re skiing downhill. There’s nothing like it.” He described the feeling at the top of the hill before competing in competition as “a mix of emotions” – of being nervous, excited and determined.

Minister Patrick O'Donovan TD with cross-country skiier Thomas Maloney Westgaard, alpine skiier Cormac Comerford, alpine skiier Anabelle Zurbay and freestyle half-pipe skiier Ben Lynch upon their return from the Milano Cortina Games as they were welcomed home at a special reception at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Asked by the Press Association what he would say to Irish children who are interested in taking up a winter sport, he said: “Dare to dream.

“Don’t doubt yourself. If you have a belief, if you have a vision, then trust your gut.

“If you want to take yourself to the next level, just dream big because anything is possible.

“I came from the small slope of Kilternan, and then I had a vision, I had a dream to compete at the Olympics and be a great skier, and I’m really proud that I have the self-belief and the determination to pull through.

“So, for any kids listening: dare to dream. It’s worth it.”