Aifric Keogh: 'Sport helps people to pay attention to what is going on in Ukraine'

Aifric Keogh who helped launch Trinity’s strategy for sport and physical activity 2022 – 2026

Olympic bronze medallist Aifric Keogh supports World Rowing’s decision to exclude Russia and Belarus from international competition and feels all sporting bodies and athletes have a duty to use their platform to oppose Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

"Everybody is talking about it and sport makes it easier to pay attention to what is going on and to understand it,” says the Galway oarswoman who was part of Ireland’s historic bronze-winning Four in Tokyo.

“A lot of people think sport is extra-curricular and just a hobby but it’s such a massive contributor to the economy and people’s well-being and I think the stance the Olympic Federation (of Ireland) and bodies like UEFA and FIFA have taken is massive.

“I thought about this a lot when World Rowing decided to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes this week, trying to put myself in their shoes.

“I know it (the ban) is unfortunate for them but it is something that comes with representing your country. If you look at the opposite side - the actual suffering that is happening in Ukraine - it’s nothing compared to that.” 

With a science degree from NUI Galway and a Masters in food microbiology from UCC, Keogh could never be accused of underestimating the power of education.

She is studying for a Masters in Business Administration in Trinity College this year, a big move after spending the last six in Cork, devoted solely to realising her Olympic dream.

Irish teammate Eimear Lambe is now working in Dublin so they pair up for some training and travel to Inniscarra once a month to train with their Irish teammates Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty who are still based at the National Rowing Centre.

“I needed to do something else, to find out if it was something I wanted to do again and being away from it has definitely taught me that I do,” says Keogh whose MBA class, coincidentally, includes another Irish Olympic medallist – Annalise Murphy who won sailing silver in 2016.

Speaking at the launch of Trinity’s Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity 2022–2026, which covers social sport up to elite scholarship students like herself, Keogh reflected that she might not be one herself were it not for the world’s other recent catastrophe.

“In 2019 I was in excruciating pain. I couldn’t sit, lie or stand, just couldn’t get comfortable. I was bringing myself into A&E and getting so disheartened because nothing was being found.” 

The intervention of Rowing Ireland’s chief medic and an expert in CUH finally discovered that Keogh had blood clots in her legs which had travelled to her lungs and become infected.

She was hospitalised while a medical solution was found and needed lots of follow-up monitoring during a layoff which could have ruled her out of contention in the ultra-competitive Irish ‘Four’ squad, were it not for the Covid-induced postponement of Tokyo 2020.

“I was finally diagnosed at the end of May 2019 and on the start-line at World Championships in August, trying to qualify for the Olympics. I lost almost three months of training at our high-intensity time so that extra year was a huge help to me to get back to my best.” 

Keogh’s next major race is the Trinity v UCD ‘Colours’ race on March 18 (which uniquely takes place on the Liffey, starting at O’Connell Bridge and finishing at the Guinness factory) and she’ll have completed her studies in time for this Summer’s European and World Championships.

“Rowing is not a great spectator sport but the Colours race is a really great way to see it, especially on St Patrick’s weekend.”