Elsa DESMOND

Ireland

Luge

Date of Birth: 6 Aug 1997

Age: 24

Gender: Female

Place of birth: BUCKINGHAM

Birth Country:

Great Britain

Residence: ESSEX

Residence Country:

Great Britain

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Luge	Women's Singles	33

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Training Group A Run 1	Finished
After Run 1	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Training Group A Run 2	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Training Group A Run 3	Finished
After Run 3	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Training Group A Run 4	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Training Run 5	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Training Run 6	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Run 1	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Run 2	Finished
	Yanqing National Sliding Centre	Women's Singles Run 3	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Athlete:

Historical Results

World Championships
Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
30	Women's Singles	2019	Winterberg, GER	59.398
40	Women's Singles	2021	Koenigssee, GER	54.097

U23 World Championships
Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
10	Women's Singles	2019	Winterberg, GER	59.398

World Cup Rankings
Season	Women's Singles
2021/22	54
2020/21	50
2018/19	43

Hobbies:

Swimming, running, kayaking, baking

Occupation:

Athlete, Foundation doctor

Education:

Bachelor of Surgery from King's College London (GBR) in 2021. Plans to become an anaesthetist.

Family:

Father, Brendan. Mother, Martha.

Languages spoken:

English

Coach:

National: Maciej Kurowski (POL)

Sporting relatives:

Father Brendan Desmond (Rowing): Currently competes in master's races at a high level.

Mother Martha Desmond (Swimming/Athletics): Competed at a county level in both sports.

Debut:

2021 World Championships in Koenigssee (Singles - 40th)

Start:

Was inspired watching luge at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games. But it wasn't until 10 years later, at age 16, that she got a chance to try the sport in Innsbruck at a British Army ice sports camp. “I thought it was so cool, and when I found there was no woman from Ireland or GB doing it I thought, ‘I could do that." (olympics.ie; reuters.com, 20 Jan 2022)

Ambition:

To represent Ireland at an Olympic Winter Games. (olympics.ie)

Memorable:

Competing at the 2021 European Championships, her debut at a major luge event (where she finished 27th). “The biggest achievement for me was the fact that I was there. Its been so difficult to get me to this point." (the42.ie, 21 Jan 2021)

General Interest

STUDENT ATHLETE
Intended to take two years off her studies prior to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games to focus on qualifying, but more doctors were needed on the frontlines battling the COVID-19 pandemic. So she was forced to juggle two careers. "I was always revising, sometimes writing essays in the car between tracks. I’d often have my study cards and revision notes with me in the start houses before races.” She took her final exams online in her hotel rooms in Latvia and Germany in 2021, hanging a large "Do not disturb" sign on her door.

Medical internships in GBR are usually done over two years (six rotations), but her hospital has allowed her three years, giving her four months off in the winter for competition. “Now, when we’re on placement in hospital, I’ll go in on weekends, I’ll go in outside of the normal hours to make up for the hours that I’m missing."

In Beijing, she will compete on 7 and 8 February in the women's singles runs. Her first shift back at the hospital is 11 February. (olympics.ie; the42.ie, 21 Jan 2021)

COMPETING FOR IRELAND
Represented GBR in 2018/19 and in one race the following season on the junior circuit. After a coaching change within the British organisation, she sat out of competition for 12 months in order to be able to represent Ireland, as her paternal grandmother is from Ballyjamesduff and her grandfather is from Cork. Her family has helped to set up the Irish Luge Association, with her father the chairman and mother the treasurer. Desmond manages the development programme.

“Being raised by a dad who is Irish in so many ways, I always wanted to represent Ireland and help get more small nations into luge. Now we are growing the sport.” (olympics.ie; the42.ie, 21 Jan 2021; lugeireland.com)

Milestones

At the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, she will be the first athlete from Ireland to compete in luge event at an Olympic Winter Games.

At the 2021 European Championships, became the first female luger to represent Ireland at a major championship.

Competed at the World Championships in 2019 (representing GBR) and 2021 (representing IRL).

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