O’Brien Selected For Short Track Euros

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Liam O’Brien has been named as Ireland’s sole representative at next month’s ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Gdansk, Poland (12-14 January).

At last year’s Europeans, O’Brien became the first Irish skater to advance to a semi-final at the championships. He has had a busy 2023/2024 season so far racing in four World Cup events in Canada, China and South Korea. He set a new national record in the 1000 metres at World Cup 2 in Montreal. He was also announced as a recipient of a Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Scholarship earlier this month.

“I’m delighted to be selected once again for Europeans,” O’Brien said. “It’s the first time where I am going into the championships having completed every World Cup prior. I will take that extra knowledge and racing experience and look towards another strong Europeans and add to last year’s results.”

Mixed Fortunes For O’Brien At Seoul World Cup

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Liam O’Brien rounded out his racing for the calendar year of 2023 as he took on the ISU World Cup Short Speed Skating event in Seoul, South Korea this weekend.

On the first day of competition, O’Brien lined up for Heat 12 of the 1000 metres preliminaries. He went to the front of the field with seven laps to go, but on the third lap contact made with a fellow competitor disrupted his rhythm. He ended up coming home in fifth with a time of 1:33.118. He next participated in Heat 4 of the 1500 metres (2) distance where he again made a positive move to lead the race with 11 laps left. However, his time in pole position was short lived and he eventually finished fifth in a time of  2:23.184.

It was on to the 1000m repechage quarterfinals on the second day of the competition for O’Brien where he was drawn in Heat 1. Coming up to seven laps to go he was contending, but another skater made contact from behind with him and he crashed out of the race. He got up and crossed the line in fifth place with a time of  2:05.795. The skater who made contact with him was penalised and O’Brien was advanced to the repechage semifinals. Racing in Heat 1, he managed to avoid getting tangled up in an incident early on in the race and kept himself in contention right until the bell rang for the final where he made his move. Unfortunately, he was deemed to have committed an infraction in positioning himself for the win and was penalised by the event referee. He was classified 28th for the distance.

The third day of competition saw O’Brien take to the ice in the Mokdong Arena for Heat 2 of the 1500m (2) repechage quarterfinals. He raced positively throughout and tried to make a move on the third from last lap. However, a bump with a competitor put him off and he came home in fifth place in a time of 2:31.692. He achieved 36th place in the classification for the distance.

O’Brien Lines Up For World Cup 4

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Liam O’Brien concludes his racing in 2023 at this weekend’s ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating in Seoul, Republic of Korea (15-17 December).This will be O’Brien’s fourth World Cup this season after competing in Canada in October and China just last week. He will be in familiar territory as his training base is in nearby Seongnam and he has raced inside the Mokdong Ice Rink on a number of occasions, most recently at the World Championships back in March. He will compete over the 1000m and 1500m (2) distances.“I am excited to get out and race in my home away from home,” O’Brien said. “I’m going to put together everything I’ve learnt from the first three World Cups of the season and hope for some good racing.”Each World Cup features races over the 500m, 1000m and 1500m distances with Day 1 solely assigned for qualification rounds. Day 2 and Day 3 combine subsequent qualification rounds and World Cup sessions. Further World Cups will take place in Republic of Korea, Germany and Poland later this season. In Ireland, the action can be viewed live on the Skating ISU YouTube channel and followed on social media via the #ShortTrackSkating hashtag.

Luck Not On O’Brien’s Side At Beijing World Cup

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It was a case of what might have been for Liam O’Brien at this weekend’s ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating in Beijing, China as a crucial call did not go his way.

O’Brien began his racing in Heat 1 of the 1500 metres quarterfinals on the opening day of competition. He was contending from the get go and was in the lead with three laps to go when two skaters made their move to go ahead of him. Unfortunately, there was contact and O’Brien crashed out. In the referee’s video review, the Irish skater was deemed to not have given space at the end of the straight and was penalised. He would take no further part in the distance.

Next up for O’Brien was Heat 7 of the 500m (2) Heats. It was a quick race from the off and, even though he finished fifth, his time of 42.253 was a mere four one-hundredths of a second shy of his personal best.

On the final day of the event, O’Brien lined up for the 500m (2) Repechage Quarterfinals. He was drawn in Heat 1 and came home in a time of 43.566 to wrap up his racing in Beijing.

“I’m happy with my progress from World Cups 1 and 2,” O’Brien said. “I felt much more competitive in the 1500 and I thought I was unlucky to receive a penalty. The focus shifts to improving once again in Seoul.”

O’Brien Ready For Beijing World Cup

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Short track speed skater Liam O’Brien is ready to race again as he lines up for ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating in Beijing, China this weekend (8-10 December).

This will be O’Brien’s third World Cup of the season after his two outings in Montreal, Canada in October. He came away from those competitions with a new Irish record over 1000m and is aiming to go even quicker inside the Capital Indoor Stadium. He will be racing in the 500m (2) and 1500m events.

It’s good to be back at the Olympic venue here in Beijing, China,” O’Brien said. “After the first training session, the ice feels amazing and the venue is great. I’m looking forward to some constructive racing and fast times!”

Each World Cup features races over the 500m, 1000m and 1500m distances with Day 1 solely assigned for qualification rounds. Day 2 and Day 3 combine subsequent qualification rounds and World Cup sessions. Further World Cups will take place in Republic of Korea, Germany and Poland later this season. In Ireland, the action can be viewed live on the Skating ISU YouTube channel and followed on social media via the #ShortTrackSkating hashtag.

O’Brien Awarded Milano Cortina Scholarship

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Short track speed skater Liam O’Brien has been announced as one of just eight Irish athletes to receive a Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Scholarship.

The scholarship is provided through the auspices of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Solidarity programme with the funding designed to off financial support to athletes who are targeting qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

“I am proud to be one of the eight Team Ireland winter athletes awarded the IOC scholarship,” O’Brien said. “This support helps me strive toward my goal in becoming Ireland’s first short track speed skating representative at the Olympics Winter Games in Milano Cortina 2026.”

“Liam was so close to achieving Olympic qualification for Beijing 2022 and he cruelly missed out by just one place,” ISAI President Seán Gillis. “He has turned that disappointment into motivation for Milano Cortina and this scholarship will enable to him to cross the finishing line this time and realise his dreams.”

Olympic Federation of Ireland Press Release

Annual General Meeting 2023

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The Ice Skating Association of Ireland (ISAI) will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 29 November 2023 in person in Dublin. Current members will have received a notice via e-mail with the AGM Agenda attached.

O’Brien Wraps Up Montreal World Cups

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Liam O’Brien has concluded his second consecutive weekend of racing at the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Montreal, Canada.

As usual, the opening day of competition consisted of the qualification rounds. This weekend’s agenda for O’Brien included the 1500m (1) and 1000m distances. He was drawn in Heat of the 1500m (1) quarterfinals where he finished in 4th place with a time of 2:20.396. Shortly afterwards he was back racing in the 1000m preliminaries Heat 2 placing fifth in a time of 1:26.218 which represents a new Irish record.

O’Brien returned on Day Two for the 1500m (1) repechage quarterfinals. In a tough Heat 1, he ended up crossing the line in 5th place with a time of 2:28.816. His final classification for the distance was 40th as he rounded up his racing for the second day of competition.

O’Brien saved the best for last. In Heat 4 of the 1000m repechage quarterfinals, he was right in the thick the action when he was impeded by another skater. Although he only finished third in a time of 1:32.784 and outside of automatic qualification, he was advanced to the repechage semifinals after a review of the incident. He was assigned to Heat 1 of the repechage semifinals where he once more found himself infringed upon by a fellow competitor. Due to these circumstances, he was advanced to the World Cup session in the afternoon despite finishing his heat in fourth with a time of 1:35.138.

O’Brien drew Heat 1 of the 1000m quarterfinals and it turned out to be the quickest of the day. He raced hard to the end and wound up in fifth place in a time of 1:26.715. He finished in 18th place in the overall classification for the distance.

“Unfortunately, I was unable to capitalise on Day 1 of the World Cup and had to work my way through the repechage again,” O’Brien said. “Luck didn’t go my way in the 1500, but was happy I fought through the 1000m back into the main event. Also happy with a new PB in the 1000m. I now know the struggles of having to wake up early for the repechage and going forward hope to make it through the first day to get a sleep in before the main event.”

This season’s ISU World Cup moves to Asia with Beijing, China hosting the next stop from 8 December.

O’Brien Up Again For Second Montreal World Cup

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Liam O’Brien will be Ireland’s sole representative this weekend (27-29 October) as Montreal, Canada’s holds the second of back-to-back ISU World Cup Short Track Skating events.

O’Brien opened his season last weekend at the Maurice-Richard Arena where he ranked 46th and 28th respectively in the 1000m (2) and 1500m distances. Having gotten back into racing mode, he will be aiming to better his performances this time round.

“I’m excited to race again this weekend,” O’Brien said. “We’ve reviewed the racing and it’s a great chance to correct mistakes with the conditions being similar. I’m also lucky to have been given an Airbnb grant that allows me to stay close to the rink and enjoy my stay in Montreal!”

Each World Cup features races over the 500m, 1000m and 1500m distances with Day 1 solely assigned for qualification rounds. Day 2 and Day 3 combine subsequent qualification rounds and World Cup sessions. Further World Cups will take place in China, Republic of Korea, Germany and Poland later this season. In Ireland, the action can be viewed live on the Skating ISU YouTube channel and followed on social media via the #ShortTrackSkating hashtag.

Short Track Season Kicks Off In Montreal

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Ryan McAnuff and Liam O’Brien got their season under way at this weekend’s ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating in Montreal, Canada.

They both opened their racing in the 1500m quarterfinals on the first day of competition. O’Brien raced in Heat 5 clocking 2:22.282 in 6th place. McAnuff was up right after in Heat 6 and he also placed 6th in a time 2:26.517.

Next up for McAnuff was Heat 1 of the 500m preliminaries where he finished 5th in a time of 43.490. O’Brien was back out on the ice for Heat 8 the 1000m (2)  heats and posted a time of  1:27.305 to finish 3rd missing out on advancing by one place.

Both skaters were back on Day Two for the 1500m repechage quarterfinals. McAnuff ended up 4th in Heat 3 in a time of 2:27.525. He ranked 41st for the distance. O’Brien was next up in Heat 4 and raced to 3rd clocking 2:21.782 which was good enough to advance to the repechage semifinals in the same session. O’Brien was drawn in Heat 1 and placed 4th in a time of 2:31.394. His ranking for the distance was 28th.

The final day of competition began with Heat 2 of the 500m repechage quarterfinals for McAnuff. He closed his racing at this World Cup with a 5th place finish in a time of 43.871. He placed 47th overall in the distance.

“I really enjoyed racing against the top skaters in the world,” McAnuff said. “As always, it was challenging racing but this provided great learning opportunities. It is a privilege to be here and I am proud of how I did!”

O’Brien lined up in Heat 2 of the 1000m (2) repechage quarterfinals. Unfortunately, he slipped during the race crashing into the barriers. He got back up coming home in 6th with a time of 2:13.757.

“Unfortunately I let the nerves of the first competition of the season get to me and was not aware of what was going on around me during the races on the first day,” O’Brien said. “On the second day in the 1500m repechage I was happy as I showed glimpses of my training results throughout the off season. Going into next week I just need to build on my confidence throughout the training week and not doubt myself when a chance opens up.”