Elsa Desmond Explained

Elsa Desmond
Birth Date:6 August 1997
Birth Place:Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Alma Mater:King's College London
Occupation:physician / olympics
Years Active:2018–present
Country: Ireland
Rank:27th World Cup Overall Women's Singles Overall 2023/2024[1]
Event:Singles
Coach:Adam Rosen[2]
Worlds:2019 FIL World Luge Championships, 2021 FIL World Luge Championships, 2023 FIL World Luge Championships, 2024 FIL World Luge Championships
Olympics:2022
Highestranking:10th (2019 U23 World Championships)

Elsa Desmond (born 6 August 1997), nicknamed the "Flying Doctor" [3] is an English-born luger who competes for Ireland.[4] [5] She was Irelands first Olympic luge athlete and the Irish flag bearer in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics.[6]

Early life

Desmond was born in Buckingham in 1997.[7] Her paternal grandparents were from County Cavan and County Cork, Ireland.[8] She grew up in England, India and Turkey, and was part of the University of London Air Squadron.[4]

Sporting career

Desmond began to compete internationally in luge in 2018. Elsa founded the Irish Luge Federation with support from her family to allow her to compete internationally, and continues to be a fully self funded athlete.[9] She competed for Ireland at the 2022 Winter Olympics in the women's singles event becoming Irelands first luge athlete to compete at the Olympics.[10] [11] She continues to run the Irish Luge Federation alongside coaching the growing junior team with the aim of ensuring the longevity of the sport within Ireland, while aiming to again make history at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.[12]

At the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea Desmond was the team leader for the Irish luge team, coaching youth athlete Lily Cooke.[13]

Womens World Cup Season Results

SeasonRankingPoints
2018/194328
2019/2061-
2020/21508
2021/225413
2022/233171
2023/2426102

Championship Results

YearEventRanking
2019U23 World Championship Winterberg.10
2019World Championship Winterberg.30
2019European Championships Oberhof24
2021World Championship Konigssee.40
2023World Championship Oberhof.35
2023European Championships Sigulda.20
2024World Championship Oberhof.34
2024European Championships Innsbruck.27

Olympic Results

FIL Official Results [14]

Personal life

Desmond studied medicine at King's College London, and began to work at Southend University Hospital in July 2021.[15] She aims to pursue a career in emergency medicine or anaesthetics with the aim of eventually working in the Air medical services.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Athletes. Elsa Desmond.
  2. Web site: Luge World Cup: Elsa Desmond on a pathway to the 2022 Winter Olympics . Royal Borough Observer.
  3. News: The Mom-and-Pop Operation That Sent Ireland’s ‘Flying Doctor’ to Beijing . Georgi . Kantchev . The Wall Street Journal.
  4. Web site: The medical student who has made sporting history for Ireland . Paul . Fennessy . The42. January 21, 2021 .
  5. News: Ireland names six-strong Beijing Winter Olympics team . Ian . O'Riordan . The Irish Times.
  6. Web site: Beijing-2022 Opening Ceremony Flag-Bearers. 4 February 2022. www.olympics.com/. International Olympic Committee (IOC). 4 February 2022.
  7. Web site: Elsa Desmond - Player Profile - Luge . Eurosport.
  8. Web site: Meet some of the Irish athletes aiming to make the 2022 Winter Olympics in 60 days. . Conor . O'Donoghue . The Irish Post.
  9. Web site: Daredevil doctor Elsa Desmond blazes trail as Ireland's first Olympic luger . olympics.
  10. Web site: 2022 Winter Olympics Games: Irish team aiming to do a 'Cool Runnings' in Beijing . independent.
  11. Web site: Introducing....Elsa Desmond (LUGE) | d jhbnn#TeamIreland - Olympics . olympics.ie/.
  12. Web site: Dr Elsa Desmond. squarespace.com.
  13. Web site: Cookham's Elsa Desmond helping to bring through the next generation of Luge athletes . maidenhead advertiser.
  14. Web site: Athletes. Elsa Desmond.
  15. Web site: Essex doctor competing in Winter Olympics in China . Ellis . Whitehouse . January 26, 2022 . EssexLive.