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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Luke Marks is the youngest male badminton player ever to earn a place at the event. Photo: Sportsfile
Tipperary and Munster Badminton rising star Luke Marks (14) has been selected to represent Team Ireland at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Skopje, North Macedonia, making him the youngest male badminton player ever to earn a place at the event.
Luke, who trains 6 times a week at the Badminton Ireland Elite Academy in Dublin, has become one of Ireland’s top junior players, with over 70 medals earned at national level since age 11.
His relentless commitment, balancing intense training with academic demands as a student at Colaiste Phobal, Roscrea, and long travel from Tipperary, has propelled him onto the international stage.
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The EYOF is Europe’s largest multi-sport event for young athletes and marks a major step on the Olympic pathway. Luke will compete in both Boys’ Singles and Mixed Doubles, alongside Dublin's Hannah Shochan.
The pair will be led by Team Ireland selected coach Michael O’Meara, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, who is part of the high performance coaches and support team escorting the young athletics.
This achievement reflects not just Luke’s individual excellence, but also the strength and depth of Ireland’s emerging badminton talent.
His selection among 35 athletes across eight sports is a tremendous honour for Roscrea and the wider Tipperary sporting community.
Speaking ahead of the EOYF, Luke said:
"I'm really proud to represent Ireland at EOYF. It means a lot to be part of the team of so many other sports. I am looking forwards to seeing some of my team mate compete in their sports.
"Huge thanks to my coaches, teammates, and family for getting me this far. I’m going to try my best out there."
Luke is also set to represent Ireland at the U17 European Championships in Spain later this year, continuing a remarkable run of national and international appearances that has seen him compete in Poland, Sweden, England, and Wales over the last three seasons.
The EYOF runs from July 20–27 and will be streamed at eoctv.org, with daily updates available via Team Ireland’s official channels.
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