19 Jul 2024
Referee Hanrahan relishing Paris Olympic experience in volunteer role
Having taken part in the Erasmus programme during her time as a student, she spent time in France and learned to speak the language.
Now she is delighted to have the opportunity to return across the channel for the world’s biggest sporting spectacle, which officially begins with the opening ceremony next Friday, 26th July, and concludes with the closing ceremony on 11th August.
The beach volleyball event runs from Saturday 27th July to Saturday 10th August and will be staged at the foot of the iconic Eiffel Tower, close to the banks of the River Seine.
“I’m yet to find out exactly what role I will be performing, but I’m really looking forward to taking part in such an amazing event in a fantastic location,” said Sarah.
“Having first taken up refereeing in France before I moved back to England, it will be a great opportunity to get involved in the sport at such a high level.
“I started playing in England (starting at school at the age of 12), but it was while I was in France that studying for my degree that I did a sports credit for my degree and got into refereeing that way.”
Sarah has previous experience as a Technical Official at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, where the Bello brothers, Javier and Joaquin memorably secured a bronze medal for England.
Along with six others, she has taken part in the FIVB Empowerment Beach Volleyball Referee Seminar, which saw initial training take place at the BUCS and UKBT Club Championships at Sandbanks, Poole in June.
In April, she was named as Young Referee of the Year at the Volleyball England Annual Awards, which was presented at Cup Finals weekend.
Sarah added: “I have had to fund myself to make this happen, such as paying for your own train tickets and accommodation, but it’s going to be a great occasion.
“You don’t have to be able to speak French to volunteer, just English, but it obviously helps that I can speak both after living in Grenoble for a while and it’s going to be nice to go back.”
Sarah, from Warrington, Cheshire, was involved in the England junior set-up in her teenage years and also played at BUCS level while at the University of Warwick.
She now referees indoor volleyball, as well as beach, ‘from kids’ games all the way up to Super League’.
In Paris, she is looking forward to meeting up with some of the French officials she met while doing her initial referee training.
“I don’t know anyone from England who is going over, but I do know some of the French officials who will be involved, as well as some of those who were at the Commonwealth Games,” said Sarah.
“The competition promises to be an amazing event being so close to the Eiffel Tower and with some world-class players on show and its' great to be a part of it.”
