As many as 50 Island athletes will compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics this summer — but only one, Shannon Houston, would be wearing green.

Houston, a graduate of Glenlyon Norfolk School and the University of Victoria, is a medical doctor in Navan, Ireland.

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Born in Victoria, she is also a member of the Irish national rugby team, which brought her home this weekend for the Canada Sevens tournament at Westhills Stadium in Langford.

> Canada qualifies for rugby sevens quarter-finals without conceding a point

Houston is a dual Irish-Canadian citizen because of her ancestry.

“My Victoria life and my Irish life don’t usually cross over, but this weekend they do,” Houston said. “It’s exciting.”

Her dad, James Houston, and brother, Russell Houston, are both Victoria doctors, and Shannon plans to return to Victoria one day to practise as a GP in the same clinic as her father and brother.

Houston dressed as a sub Saturday, ready for action off the Irish bench. She had about 25 family members in the stands at Westhills as Ireland went 1-2 on the day, with 26-0 and 29-5 losses to Canada and England, respectively, and a 21-14 victory over Japan.

She played for the UVic Vikes, Velox, Island Crimson Tide and B.C. After graduating from UVic with a degree in biology, Houston earned her medical degree at University College in Dublin. She works full-time as a GP in Navan, County Meath, while also playing international rugby.

“It’s busy and you have to really work at juggling it,” said the 36-year-old.

“The national team is centralized in Dublin. Training starts at 1 p.m., so I can work in the mornings practising medicine, and practise rugby in the afternoons. It’s hectic, but it’s worth it.”

Especially with the chance, at the end of it, to be called an Olympian — as long as the Irish team can grab the final Olympic berth.

Nine of the 12 teams in the Canada Sevens, including Canada, are going to Brazil, based on qualifying criteria met over the past year.

The three non-qualified teams — Ireland, Spain and Russia — are preparing for June’s last-chance Olympic qualifier in Dublin, where the 12th and final berth to the Summer Games will be decided.

Australia is ranked No. 1 in the world, New Zealand No. 2 and the Langford-based Canadian team is ranked No. 3. England and France round out the top five.

“It’s only that one shot. … It’s exciting yet nerve-wracking,” Houston said.

Having the last-chance Olympic qualifier in Dublin gives Ireland the home-field advantage. The Irish are also having a bit of that this weekend in Langford, thanks to Houston’s Island connections.

Although she is in Irish green among a boisterous crowd of 3,000 clad mostly in red, Houston said: “I consider this my home crowd.”

The championship and consolation rounds begin at 10 a.m. today at Westhills Stadium, culminating with the final at 6:05 p.m.

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com