Jack Ireland | |
Nationality: | Australian |
Birth Date: | 26 August 1999 |
Country: | Australia |
Sport: | Paralympic swimming |
Disability Class: | S14, SB14, SM14 |
Club: | University of Queensland SC |
Coach: | David Heyden |
Jack Ireland (born 26 August 1999) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer with an intellectual disability. He won medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships. He has a been selected to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France. [1]
He was born 26 August 1999. He grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales. He moved to Gladstone, Queensland in 2013 and attended Gladstone State High School. Jack moved to Brisbane in 2016 and attended his final school year via Brisbane Distance Education.[2]
Ireland started swimming at Floraville Public School in Newcastle, New South Wales.[3] He is classified as a S14 swimmer. At the age of thirteen, he moved to Gladstone QLD with his family and joined Gladstone Gladiators Swim Club. In 2016, he relocated to the Brisbane suburb of St Lucia, to be coached by David Heyden at the University of Queensland Swim Club. Jack made his international debut in 2017 at the Para World Series In Indianapolis. In 2018, he competed at the Para Pan Pac Championships in Cairns as part of the Australia A Team. 2019 saw him selected as an Australian Dolphin #P304. At his first major international competition - 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, London, he finished 8th in the Men's 200m freestyle S14 final.[4]
At the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, he won a silver medal in the Mixed freestyle relay S14 and finished fourth Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 .[5]
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he won the bronze medal in the 200 m freestyle S14.[6] At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester, England, he won a silver and a bronze medal in S14 relay events.
Ireland has a been selected to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France. [7]
He is coached by David Heyden at the University of Queensland Swim Club.[8]