Louth gymnast selected to represent Ireland at European Youth Olympics

Louth gymnast Estella Volkoff has been officially selected to represent Team Ireland at the upcoming Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), taking place from July 20–27, 2025.

While the main event will be hosted in Skopje, North Macedonia, the gymnastics competitions will be held in Osijek, Croatia.

Only two junior women’s artistic gymnasts from all of Ireland achieved the high qualifying standard required for the EYOF — and 14-year-old Estella is one of them.

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A dedicated gymnast since the age of three, Estella has shown remarkable progress and determination over the years. Her selection follows a string of outstanding performances on both national and international stages in 2025.

In April, Estella travelled to Oslo, Norway, where she competed at the Unni and Haralds Trophy, emerging as the Junior All-Around Champion and securing gold on the balance beam.

She continued her winning streak in May at the National Series All-Around Championships in Dublin, where she claimed the title of Junior Women’s Artistic All-Around Irish Champion — the highest level of competition under the FIG (International Gymnastics Federation).

In June, Estella represented Ireland at the 56th Salamunov Memorial in Maribor, Slovenia. Facing tough competition from across Europe, she and her teammates delivered a stellar performance, winning the team gold.

Individually, Estella reached the finals on both the balance beam and uneven bars, earning gold and silver medals, respectively.

The Olympic Federation of Ireland has announced a 35-strong athlete delegation for the EYOF, spanning eight different sports.

With over 4,000 young athletes from across Europe, 800 volunteers, and 15 sporting disciplines, the EYOF is the continent’s largest youth multisport event — a vibrant celebration of talent, teamwork, and the Olympic spirit.

Women’s artistic gymnastics remains one of the most celebrated Olympic sports worldwide and has seen growing popularity in Ireland in recent years.

The discipline builds strength, flexibility, and coordination from a young age, forming a solid athletic foundation for any sport.

Estella’s achievements reflect the strength of Irish youth gymnastics and highlight the bright future of the sport in Ireland.

She now prepares to represent her country on one of the biggest stages in youth sport, with the eyes of the nation proudly watching.