Road To Rio is a six-part series that captures the ecstatic highs and crushing lows as Ireland’s medal hopefuls- across a range of disciplines – train, compete and try to qualify for Rio 2016. The audience will be watching on as the tension builds before big qualifying events, as these athletes strive to reach the pinnacle of sporting achievement- the Olympics.
Focusing not just on sport, this observational documentary series also draws a clearer picture of these exceptional people and how they balance a world-class training regimes with living their everyday lives.
Drawn from urban and rural backgrounds, from across Ireland, the would-be Olympians compete in a wide range of disciplines – Boxing, Modern Pentathlon, Race Walking, Sailing, Showjumping, Sprint Hurdles, Swimming, Taekwondo, Track Cycling, and the Marathon- featuring a mix of first timers full of hunger, alongside experienced campaigners who know how much sacrifice lies ahead. While we would like all our athletes to win gold medals, inevitably for some, the Road To Rio will end in disappointment.
Many of our sporting hopefuls struggle to finance their dream of representing the nation, while having to stay focused on the end game. As they train to be one of the world’s best, Road To Rio shines a light on the effect this level of dedication has on their personal and private lives.
Episode 1
Belfast born Michael Conlan is on the Road To Rio and boxing superstardom. Having won Olympic bronze at London 2012, and already qualified for the Rio Games, Episode 1 joins him as he plots his course to becoming the first Irish boxer to win the Commonwealth, European and World titles. Outside of the ring he faces a very different challenge, learning to be a father.
Jack Woolley is 17 years old and from Jobstown, Dublin. Competing in the martial art of Taekwondo, Jack’s first year competing at Senior level saw him make a meteoric rise through the rankings. Now his sole focus is the European Qualifying event in Turkey, where he could become one of Ireland’s youngest ever Olympians.
Fiona Doyle is a swimmer from Limerick, who lives, works and trains on a Sports scholarship at the University of Calgary. Travelling across the globe in pursuit of the Olympic qualifying time isn’t easy, but it is even tougher for Fiona, as she is to live so far from her family.