Elsa Desmond

Last updated

Elsa Desmond
2018-11-22 Rennrodel-Weltcup Innsbruck-Igls StP 5380 LR10 by Stepro-2.jpg
Desmond in 2018
Personal information
Born (1997-08-06) 6 August 1997 (age 26)
Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Alma mater King's College London
Occupation physician / olympics
Years active2018–present
Sport
CountryFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
SportLuge pictogram.svg Luge
Rank 29th World Cup Overall Women's Singles Overall 2022/2023 [1]
EventSingles
Coached by Adam Rosen [2]
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals 2022
World finals 2019 FIL World Luge Championships, 2021 FIL World Luge Championships, 2023 FIL World Luge Championships, 2024 FIL World Luge Championships [1]
Highest world ranking 10th (2019 U23 World Championships) [1]

Elsa Desmond (born 6 August 1997), nicknamed the "Flying Doctor" [3] is an English-born luger who competes for Ireland. [1] [4] [5] She was Irelands first Olympic luge athlete and the Irish flag bearer in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics. [6]

Contents

Early life

Desmond was born in Buckingham in 1997. [7] Her paternal grandparents were from County Cavan and County Cork, Ireland. [8] She grew up in England, India and Turkey, and was part of the University of London Air Squadron. [4]

Sporting career

Desmond at the 2021-22 Luge World Cup. 2022-01-14 Women's Sprint at 2021-22 Oberhof Luge World Cup by Sandro Halank-059.jpg
Desmond at the 2021–22 Luge World Cup.
Desmond at the 2021 FIL World Luge Championships 2021-01-31 Women's at the FIL World Luge Championships Konigssee 2021 by Sandro Halank-147.jpg
Desmond at the 2021 FIL World Luge Championships

Desmond began to compete internationally in luge in 2018. Elsa founded the Irish Luge Federation with support from her family to allow her to compete internationally, and continues to be a fully self funded athlete. [9] She competed for Ireland at the 2022 Winter Olympics in the women's singles event becoming Irelands first luge athlete to compete at the Olympics. [10] [11] She continues to run the Irish Luge Federation alongside coaching the growing junior team with the aim of ensuring the longevity of the sport within Ireland, while aiming to again make history at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. [12]

At the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea Desmond was the team leader for the Irish luge team, coaching youth athlete Lily Cooke. [13]

World Cup Season Results

SeasonRankingPoints
2018/19 4328
2019/20 61-
2020/21 508
2021/22 5413
2022/23 3171

Championship Results

YearEventRanking
2019 U23 World Championship Winterberg.10
2019 World Championship Winterberg.30
2019 European Championships Oberhof 24
2021 World Championship Konigssee.40
2023 World Championship Oberhof.35
2023 European Championships Sigulda.20
2024 World Championship Oberhof.34
2024 European Championships Innsbruck.27

Olympic Results

YearHost CityRanking
2022 Beijing.33


FIL Official Results [1]

Personal life

Desmond studied medicine at King's College London, and began to work at Southend University Hospital in July 2021. [14] She aims to pursue a career in emergency medicine or anaesthetics with the aim of eventually working in the Air medical services. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virgin Islands at the 2006 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) sent a delegation to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy from 10 to 26 February 2006. The only competitor sent by the USVI was Anne Abernathy, who broke her wrist in a practice run and was therefore unable to compete.

Angelika Neuner is an Austrian luger who competed from 1987 to 2002. Competing in four Winter Olympics, she won two medals in the women's singles event with a silver in 1992 and a bronze in 1998. Her younger sister, Doris, won the gold medal in the same event at Albertville in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aileen Frisch</span> South Korean luger

Aileen Christina Frisch is a South Korean-Slovenian luger. Frisch competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics for South Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verónica María Ravenna</span> Argentine luger

Verónica María Ravenna is an Argentine luger. She competed in the women's singles event at the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Sweden competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switzerland at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Switzerland competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

Luge at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held at the Xiaohaituo Bobsleigh and Luge Track which is one of the Yanqing cluster venues between 5 and 10 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentina at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Argentina competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Australia competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austria at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Austria competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Bosnia and Herzegovina competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgaria at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Bulgaria competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Ireland competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Korea at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

South Korea competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latvia at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Latvia competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 — 20 February 2022, gaining 1 medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poland at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Poland competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Georgia competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

During the Parade of Nations within the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 4, athletes and officials from each participating country marched in the Beijing National Stadium preceded by their flag and placard bearer bearing the respective country's name. Each flag bearer was chosen either by the nation's National Olympic Committee or by the team of athletes themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese Taipei at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The Republic of China, commonly known as "Taiwan", competed as Chinese Taipei at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China from 4 to 20 February 2022. Because of the political status of Taiwan and the One-China policy, the ROC national symbols will not be used as stipulated in the Nagoya Resolution in 1979 forcing the ROC athletes to compete under the Chinese Taipei moniker since 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Moldova competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Athletes. Elsa Desmond".
  2. "Luge World Cup: Elsa Desmond on a pathway to the 2022 Winter Olympics". Royal Borough Observer.
  3. Kantchev, Georgi. "The Mom-and-Pop Operation That Sent Ireland's 'Flying Doctor' to Beijing". The Wall Street Journal.
  4. 1 2 Fennessy, Paul (January 21, 2021). "The medical student who has made sporting history for Ireland". The42.
  5. O'Riordan, Ian. "Ireland names six-strong Beijing Winter Olympics team". The Irish Times.
  6. "Beijing-2022 Opening Ceremony Flag-Bearers". www.olympics.com/. International Olympic Committee (IOC). February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  7. "Elsa Desmond - Player Profile - Luge". Eurosport.
  8. O'Donoghue, Conor. "Meet some of the Irish athletes aiming to make the 2022 Winter Olympics in 60 days". The Irish Post.
  9. "Daredevil doctor Elsa Desmond blazes trail as Ireland's first Olympic luger". olympics.
  10. "2022 Winter Olympics Games: Irish team aiming to do a 'Cool Runnings' in Beijing". independent.
  11. "Introducing....Elsa Desmond (LUGE) | d jhbnn#TeamIreland - Olympics". olympics.ie/.
  12. 1 2 "Dr Elsa Desmond" (PDF). squarespace.com.
  13. "Cookham's Elsa Desmond helping to bring through the next generation of Luge athletes". maidenhead advertiser.
  14. Whitehouse, Ellis (January 26, 2022). "Essex doctor competing in Winter Olympics in China". EssexLive.