Irish Olympic legend Michelle Smith de Bruin has issued a statement defending her wins after claims that she has been ‘written’ out of Olympic history.
The sensational swimmer won three gold medals, and a bronze at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
However, despite being Ireland’s most successful Olympian to date, Liveline listeners complained that she had been ignored by RTE in their coverage and commentary during the Tokyo 2020 games.
An eagle-eyed viewer said they were 'ashamed' watching RTÉ's coverage from Tokyo overnight, as presenters Jacqui Hurley and David Gillick failed to mention Smith de Bruin's wins in Atlanta whilst discussing previous Irish Olympic gold medalists.
Responding to the claims, the barrister sent her congratulations to new gold medallist's Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan in a rare public statement while defending her multiple wins in 1996.
In an exclusive statement to RTÉ's Liveline this afternoon, the retired swimmer said: “Twenty-five years ago this week, I became the first Irish woman to win an Olympic Gold medal.
“By the end of that week in Atlanta, I had become a Triple Olympic Champion.
“It was the culmination of seventeen years training and dedication to my sport.
“Standing on the podium, watching the tricolour being raised and listening to Amhrán na bhFiann was and still is, the proudest moment of my life.
“Twenty-five years have passed and people still stop to tell me where they were when I won my medals.
“I will always be incredibly proud of what I achieved in Atlanta and remain touched by the level of support still shown to me by the people of Ireland.”
The well known barrister went on: “I want to congratulate our brilliant rowers, Fintan Mc Carthy and Paul O'Donovan on their wonderful achievement in becoming Ireland’s newest Olympic Champions.
“What a stunning performance.
She signed off the statement with “From Michelle Smith de Bruin, Triple Olympic Champion, 1996.”
The triple champion sparked controversy and suspicion two years after her wins in 1998, when she was banned for four years by swimming's governing body FINA for tampering with a urine sample.
She was not stripped of her Olympic medals, as she had never tested positive for any banned substances.
