Olympic gold medallist given hero’s welcome home in Coleraine

Northern Ireland’s first female Olympic gold medallist in 50 years has been given a hero’s welcome home in Coleraine.

Hannah Scott, 25, won gold as part of Team GB’s quadruple sculls at the Paris games.

She described a “dream that became a reality” and “a fairytale”.

She is one of a record four Olympic gold medallists from the region this summer, with swimmers Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan and gymnast Rhys McClenaghan.

Scott arrived at Bann Rowing Club, where she has been a long-term member, on Wednesday, to cheers and club members holding up oars for her to walk through.

Hannah Scott visits Bann Rowing Club in Coleraine (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Niall Carson

Later crowds lined the streets of the Co Londonderry town as she made her way to the Diamond.

There were more cheers as Scott took to the stage wearing her gold medal and was reunited with relatives including her grandmother for a screening of footage of her Olympic race.

She was teased by compere Alan Simpson about meeting Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, who performed a skydive at the Olympics closing ceremony.

“He floated down in front of me, it’s been pretty cool,” she told the crowd.

“We got to do a champions walk outside the Eiffel Tower … that was really cool, I danced a bit, a lot. I had to do something up there because the rowers can be slightly awkward in terms of their dance moves.”

Tom Cruise with the Olympic Flag during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (PA) PA Wire/PA Images - David Davies

Speaking to media earlier, Scott said she “almost can’t quite believe that it actually all happened”.

Scott said she was looking forward to taking some time off for a holiday, but said she was keen to keep rowing and did not rule out aiming for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Speaking about her team’s win in a nail-biting finish, she said you can never be 100% certain before a race.

“You have to have your belief which is really important. In terms of confidence you have to be confident enough,” she said.

“But you never really know what is going to happen on the day and accept that something might go wrong.

“I’d consider it (2028 Olympics). It’s a long slog so I think I just need to take it one step at a time and enjoy this moment first.”

Richard and Peter Chambers took silver in the lightweight fours, while Alan Campbell won a bronze in the single sculls (Paul Faith/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Paul Faith

Scott was part of the celebrations in Coleraine in 2012 when Alan Campbell and Richard and Peter Chambers won Olympic medals.

“I remember this day in 2012. I can’t even comprehend that that is this now,” she said.

“All the support we get from home is really special. I’m really lucky in terms of the close community here.

“It was my dream in my head, so for that to be happening now is amazing. It’s just been really special that I’ve had the support from home, because I’ve been down, I’ve been up. It’s not an easy journey in sport.”

Scott described Lady (Mary) Peters as an inspiration to her.

“I haven’t talked to her yet but I want to soon as she’s been a name and a legend in Northern Ireland my whole life,” she said.

Crowds line the streets for a homecoming parade in Coleraine (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Niall Carson

She also said she hopes others may be inspired by her medal.

“We’ve got a really special rowing club here which meant a lot to me growing up. The people who are volunteering there clearly know what they are doing,” she said.

“Rowing is a really positive thing for this community and I think we should really encourage that and sport in general for everyone. It’s a really good life lesson for kids growing up and also just in terms of our health.”

The last Olympic gold medal won by an athlete from Northern Ireland was in 1988, when Stephen Martin was part of the Team GB hockey team.

The last individual gold Olympic medal won by an athlete from Northern Ireland was Lady Peters in 1972.

McClenaghan and McMillan will be celebrated at a homecoming event in Newtownards, Co Down on Friday, while crowds turned out for Wiffen in Magheralin on Tuesday.