Based on the BWF Race to Tokyo Rankings as of May 25, 2021, Ireland entered one badminton player in each of the following Olympic events. Ireland sent two male boxers to the Olympic Games. This is a higher number than any other country except China, which sent four athletes in boxing. Ireland first participated in the Olympic game at the 1900 Paris Summer Games. Irish badminton began to take shape at that time with William O'Connor becoming the first Irish medallist when he took home a silver medal in the men's singles event. Since then, Ireland has never looked back as it has gone from strength to strength and now dominates the sport worldwide. At the 2004 Athens Summer Games, Ireland had its best ever performance at an Olympic games as both its men's and women's teams reached the quarter-finals. For the first time in its history, Ireland won a gold medal when Kevin McBride defeated China's Chen Jin in the men's singles final. This made him only the second Irishman after John Higgins to win a gold medal at the Olympics. Ireland also earned another gold medal when Joanne McCarron outclassed Germany's Patricia Hofmeister 5-0 in the women's singles final. This was the first Olympic gold for Ireland since 1972.