Sport – Paralympic Swimming – S13 Classification
At just 20 years old, Róisín Ní Riain has established herself as one of Ireland’s brightest sporting talents. At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, she became one of Team Ireland’s standout performers, winning silver in the 100m Backstroke and bronze in the 200m Individual Medley.
Her success continued at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, where she produced a record-breaking performance by winning five medals — three silvers (100m Breaststroke SB13, 100m Backstroke S13, 400m Freestyle S13) and two bronzes (100m Butterfly S13, 200m Individual Medley SM13). This made her the most decorated Irish Paralympian at a single World Championships.
Róisín first gained international recognition at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where she was the youngest member of the Irish team at just 16 years old and reached five finals. Since then, she has become a World Champion, set World Records, and earned multiple European medals across backstroke, butterfly, medley, and freestyle.
Her excellence has also been recognised beyond the pool. She was named RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year in 2024 and has twice received the title of Swim Ireland Para Swimmer of the Year (2023 and 2024).
Key Achievements
- World Para Swimming Championship 2025 in Singapore, won three silvers (SB13 100m Breaststroke, S13 100m Backstroke, S13 400m Freestyle) and two bronzes (S13 100m Butterfly, SM13 200m Individual Medley)
- Paralympic Silver Medallist – Paris 2024 (S13 100m Backstroke)
- Paralympic Bronze Medallist – Paris 2024 (SM13 200m Individual Medley)
- World Champion – 2023 (S13 100m Backstroke)
- World Silver Medallist – 2023 (S13 100m Butterfly)
- European Champion – 2024 (100m Backstroke, 100m Breaststroke)
- Multiple European Silver and Bronze Medallist – 2024 (100m Butterfly, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Freestyle)
- World Record Holder – S13 200m Backstroke (Long Course – 2:25.23 in 2023 / Short Course – 2:21.20 in 2022)
- Paralympic Finalist (x5) – Tokyo 2020 (aged 16)
- European Bronze Medallist – 2021, 2022 (100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly)
- RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year – 2024
- Swim Ireland Para Swimmer of the Year – 2023, 2024
- Paralympics Ireland Young Paralympian of the Games – 2024
- Her Sport Young Athlete of the Year – 2024
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