Olympic champion Hannah Scott has revealed Rory McIlroy acted as a source of inspiration for her gold medal glory at Paris 2024 – and believes there’s “something special” about growing up in Northern Ireland which helps create sporting superstars.

Competing at the top-end of her sport, rowing sensation Scott can relate to the sacrifices and countless hours of dedication required to excel on the world stage.

After winning quadruple sculls gold as part of Team GB, Scott became the first female athlete from Northern Ireland to stand atop of an Olympic podium since Dame Mary Peters in 1972.

The Coleraine native was part of a golden summer of success with Daniel Wiffen, Rhys McClenaghan and Jack McMillan also fulfilling their childhood dreams.

placeholder image — Great Britain's gold medallists (From R) Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgina Brayshaw pose on the podium during the medal ceremony after the women's quadruple sculls final rowing competition at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Centre in Vaires-sur-Marne during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 31, 2024. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP) (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)

Aged 26, 10 years younger than McIlroy, Scott grew up watching the Holywood man dominate golf, claiming four major championships and reaching world number one – acting as drive behind her own ambitions.

"It's so impressive and that's why I think there's something about the environment we grow up in that there's something special there,” said Scott “We are punching above our weight.

"Rory was an inspiration I feel for the success we had in Paris.

"We grew up watching Rory start to take off and he was the one sports star who was coming from Northern Ireland and having so much success.

"I think he was a source of inspiration for our belief system that it doesn't matter where you come from, Rory was taking over golf and we were growing up watching it.

"I do think there's something about being a small country and it doesn't matter because we're all bringing each other along."

After his initial burst, McIlroy had to wait 11 years to add a fifth to his collection and has now moved onto six after becoming only the fourth player in history to defend the Masters crown at Augusta.

McIlroy had to endure so many near misses – he finished inside the top-10 at a major championship on 21 occasions, including second four times, before completing a Career Grand Slam in 2025.

Scott is already an Olympic, World and European champion and is preparing for another gold medal mission at Los Angeles in 2028.

Having experienced the magnificent highs and crushing lows of sport at an elite level, Scott has immense respect for how McIlroy has been able to navigate through tricky times.

"How does that not play on your mind or belief system?" she added. “It just shows how strong his beliefs are that he continued to go 'I'm going to do this'.

"The more and more time passes, the more external validation you're not getting, and it comes down to what you internally believe.

"I think it just shows the strength of his character and what has always been in him. It's unleashing itself now.

"It has been interesting to watch Rory because I think there's a lot that you can relate to, even him being from Northern Ireland and speaking up about representing Ireland and Great Britain. He is a source of inspiration for that.

"He endured quite a lot of hardship before he got his success again. As time went on, more and more people would have lost faith, but for him to hold on to that is the most impressive thing.

"To do that for such a long time, it's so tedious and you have to be so patient.

"I don't think people who aren't in sport can appreciate the place he would have been in mentally for those years and I have so much respect for that. I honestly don't know how he did it."