LONDON 2012: Five Irish Olympic athletes to follow

WITH all the focus on the host nation at next year's London 2012 Olympics - who are targeting a fourth place on the medal table - what about the Olympic ambitions of neighbours the Republic of Ireland?

Here's Sportsbeat's Leigh Walsh with her five to follow, with just 500 days to go until the opening ceremony.

POWERFUL: Katie Taylor could be one of the first winners of inaugural Olympic women's boxing tournament - and she's favourite to win Irish gold in London (Reuters)

1) Katie Taylor

Ireland has an impressive track record when it comes to boxing, and with the inclusion of women’s events at the Olympics, they have another reason to celebrate. Prized possession Katie Taylor waits in the wings, with Ireland ready to unleash their first potential female gold medallist since Sonia O’Sullivan, a silver medallist in Sydney.

The lightweight fighter added a third world title to her name in 2010 when she convincingly beat China's Cheng Dong at the World Amateur Championships in Barbados.

The 24-year-old, who has also been capped more than 50 times for the Irish soccer team, will head to London next year with the support of a nation behind her. 

The only Irish female ever to top the Olympic podium was Michelle Smith in Atlanta, whose success was marred in controversy after allegations of drug use. 

But in Taylor, the Irish have a golden girl they trust and with that comes expectation rather than hope. 

FIGHTING TALK: Paddy Barnes, following his Commonwealth Games success, will be looking to upgrade his boxing medal from Beijing (Reuters)

2) Paddy Barnes and John Joe Nevin

Ireland’s boxing team put the nation back on the Olympic map in Beijing. The boxers bagged one silver and two bronze medals between them and they will be looking to better that result in London next year. 

European light-flyweight champion and Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes claimed his fifth consecutive national title at the beginning of March to add to his Commonwealth gold from Delhi.

With considerable experience under his belt, he will step into the ring in London looking to become the first Irish athlete since 1932 to win medals in consecutive Games. 

Bantamweight fighter John Joe Nevin was, at 19-years-old, the youngest member of the Irish Olympic team in 2008. The young boxer, who currently fights for Paris United in the World Series of Boxing, won a bronze medal at the World Amateur Championships in Milan in 2009.

The confidence of this victory coupled with his previous Olympic experience puts Nevin in a great position to make a medal charge in London. 

POINT TO PROVE: Billy Twomey will look to restore some pride to Irish show jumping after the Cian O'Connor and Denis Lynch doping scandals (Reuters)

3) Billy Twomey

Ireland’s equestrian team was shrouded in controversy at the last two Olympic Games, with Cian O’Connor being stripped of his gold medal for doping offences in Athens, and Denis Lynch was disqualified for similar reasons on the morning of the finals in Beijing.

IRELAND AT THE OLYMPICS SINCE 1992 Barcelona - 1 gold,1 silver Atlanta - 3 golds, 1 bronze Sydney - 1 silver Athens - 0 medals Beijing - 1 silver, 2 bronzes

The controversies reflected poorly on the Irish Olympic team, so much so the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland Pat Hickey questioned show jumping as a future Olympic sport for the country. 

But London 2012 represents a new horizon for Irish show jumping and an opportunity for Billy Twomey to win back the respect Ireland deserves in the event.

The latest Rolex World Ranking list saw Twomey leapfrog fellow countryman Denis Lynch, and now sits aseventh in the world. 

Twomey, who suffered multiple injuries in a serious accident in 2008, will be hoping his recent run of form will continue into London next summer.

A big equestrian performance on a world stage will be needed for the Irish to regain their faith in the tarnished sport. 

RISING STAR: European silver medallist Derval O'Rourke is leading the Irish Olympic challenge in athletics (Reuters)

4) Derval O’Rourke

The 100m hurdler has been known to save her best performances for the big stage and the Irish will be hoping she can produce on the track in London. 

The former world indoor champion and twice European silver medallist is an outside bet for an Olympic medal, but she will leave nothing to chance in her chase for a podium finish after disappointment in Beijing.   

The Cork sprinter, who had just recovered from injury, finished fourth in the 60m hurdles at the European Indoors earlier this month in a race described as the most competitive final for the event in the history of the Championships.

Each medal position required personal bests, and O’Rourke set a season best. 

O’Rourke’s main obstacle over the next year will be keeping fit and if she does she will be one to keep an eye on. Her determination and hunger for success is second-to-none, and she epitomises the fighting Irish tag.   

YOUNG HOPE: Grainne Murphy will be Ireland's leading hope in the pool - but the nation is still remembered for Michelle Smith, who won three golds in Atlanta but later tested positive for drugs (Reuters)

5) Grainne Murphy and Barry Murphy

Despite a fleeting flirtation with the sport during the Atlanta Olympics, Ireland as a nation is not known for its swimming prowess. However, the emergence of young talent Grainne Murphy has given them a swimmer to cheer for ahead of the London Games.

This date is more, so much more, than a photo opportunity and a newly-minted pin badge." Sportsbeat's James Toney on 500 days to go

The Wexford native won a silver medal in the 1,500m freestyle at the European Championships, adding to the three golds she picked up at junior level. 

Murphy, who is still only 17, is the current Irish record holder in the event and if she fails to medal in 2012 she will at least pick up some valuable experience for future games.

Barry Murphy burst into the limelight with an incredible showing in the final of the 100m breaststroke at a grand prix event in Indianapolis at the beginning March.

The Dubliner won gold in the event, beating off Japanese Olympic champion Kosuke Katijima and American record holder Mark Gangloff, and broke the Irish record by almost one second. 

The result means Murphy is now eligible for the World Championships in Shanghai where a repeat performance would see him qualify for the Olympics. If he can maintain this scintillating form he will be one to watch in London.