Event: Triathlon.
Who is she? A professional triathlete, Reid has represented Ireland in the Olympics (2012) and Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games (2014).
Where’s she from? The 34 year-old hails from Derry.
Olympic CV: She qualified for London in 2012 – and was ranked 7th in the world at the time – but a crash at the start of the 40km bike leg proved a huge setback and shattered her hopes of a medal. She finished 43rd overall.
Road To Rio: Reid’s place was confirmed back in May following the last race of the qualifying period in Yokohama in Japan. She finished 48th in that race but a series of previous strong performances meant she finish 15th overall on the qualification list.
When does she start? On Saturday 20 August, Reid will compete at the women’s triathlon event at Copacabana.
Where can I follow her? Check her out on Twitter @aileenmorr or on Instagram at aileenmorr.
What she says: “I think I was a bit naive. I’ve learned a lot about myself since London and I think I’ve come a full circle in this Olympic cycle.
“Hopefully that will make me a better athlete in Rio. I’m more experienced and mature now and after switching coaches have got to train with the best in the world everyday. That has really helped.” (The42, June 2016)
Medal chances? Having six top ten finishes to her name last year which helped book her Olympic berth, Reid is quietly confident of a strong performance. The experience of London could be crucial.
And here’s something you probably didn’t know… At the London Olympics, she competed as Aileen Morrison but after getting married in late 2012, changed her name to Aileen Reid.
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