Ten years ago this Sunday, on 16 August 2016, Annalise Murphy won an Olympic silver medal in the Laser Radial at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, securing one of the most memorable moments in Irish sailing history.
After finishing fourth at London 2012, Murphy returned to the Olympics four years later with the determination and experience to go one better. Her silver medal was the result of years of dedication, commitment and hard work at the highest level of the sport. It also marked Ireland’s first Olympic sailing medal in 36 years, since Moscow 1980.
Murphy’s achievement has left a lasting legacy in Irish sailing, inspiring a generation of young sailors and helping to raise the profile of the sport. Her resilience and commitment, particularly after the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a medal in London, have become an important part of her Olympic story.
Ten years on, Murphy will return to the international sailing stage on home waters when she competes at the 2026 ILCA World Championship in Dún Laoghaire. The ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship will run from 23-30 August, with the women’s ILCA 6 fleet taking to the water from 5-12 September.
For Murphy, the event will bring her back to the class in which she made Olympic history, this time competing on home waters in Dublin Bay and marking another chapter in an already remarkable sailing career.