Latest news with #SoniaO'Sullivan
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
UCC athletics track, which closed due to damage, to reopen after repairs
The damaged athletics track at University College Cork (UCC), named after athletics legend Sonia O'Sullivan, is set to be fully repaired almost a year after its sudden closure on health and safety grounds. UCC has confirmed the track at its Mardyke sports campus will undergo a full resurfacing, with contractors Tony Patterson Sportsgrounds Ltd scheduled to start on site next Monday. The work will take several months, with no certainty yet on a completion date. 'The timeline for completion will be contingent on weather conditions, both in Cork and abroad given the specialist nature of the works,' a spokesperson said. 'Delays to other projects undertaken by the specialist teams involved may subsequently impact the delivery time of the UCC Sports Athletics Track.' The track was closed unexpectedly in March 2024 due to 'health and safety' concerns after an urgent inspection by UCC's Building and Estates team identified 'a rapid and significant deterioration' of the track — sections of the track surface were literally peeling away. The closure of the UCC track came at the same as the city's only other athletics track, at the Munster Technological Institute (MTU) was also out of commission for resurfacing works. The two closures left several athletics clubs and thousands of athletes without a proper training venue. MTU's resurfaced track was reopened in July 2024 in time to host the 70th Cork City Sports event. UCC said the full reinstatement work on its Mardyke track represented a significant investment in the university's sports infrastructure and reflected its ongoing commitment to providing top-tier facilities for students, staff, and the wider community. The new track will enhance training and competition conditions for athletes of all levels and support the continued growth of athletics at UCC, the spokesperson added. As the work gets under way, access to the synthetic pitch alongside the track will be restricted and UCC's Department of Sport and Physical Activity has appealed to clubs and individuals using the facilities to follow the signs that will be in place locally in relation to temporary new access points that will be in place for the duration of the work. The spokesperson said queries from clubs and individual athletes about club athletic track bookings or track membership, please contact UCC Sport at sport@ Read More Michael Moynihan: Broken and damaged footpaths cost us more than you think
RTÉ News
30-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Mark English breaks his own 800m national record in Poland
Mark English ran a scorching 1:44.34 to break his own 800m Irish record at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The five-time European 800m medallist ran a composed opening 400m and finished strongly down the home straight to better his previous record (1:44.34) set last June in Madrid. The 32-year-old continued his fine form this season, the record coming hot on the heels of a hugely impressive win at the Sound Running Track Fest in Los Angeles last weekend. The Finn Valley athlete has continued to build on the indoor form which saw him claim European bronze back in March, a result which now sees him trail only Sonia O'Sullivan in Ireland's all-time medal tally at major championships.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Bundee Aki, Sonia O'Sullivan and Rob Heffernan help celebrate 21 years of Inis Iron Meáin race on Aran Islands
Beginning in 2004 as an event to collect money for island secondary school Coláiste Naomh Eoin, the race has become a key annual event for the community of Inis Meáin. Students from all over the country gathered to immerse themselves in Irish language and culture and the race has now become a nationwide event, with athletes from across the country travelling to the island to participate. Hundreds of people, including a few familiar faces, come to the island each year to take part or simply to enjoy the atmosphere of what is always a popular event. This year was no different, with Galway City Mayor Peter Keane officially launching Inis Iron Meáin 2025, alongside rugby legend Bundee Aki and Olympic medallists Sonia O'Sullivan and Rob Heffernan. Sonia O'Sullivan was the guest of honour at the very first Inis Iron Meáin in November 2004 and so the community was delighted to welcome her back to the island this year as the race celebrated its 21st anniversary. Coláiste Naomh Eoin was proud to welcome rugby hero Bundee Aki to the island for the first time, who spent the weekend on Inis Meáin with his family and said of the experience: 'It's my first time here and it's unbelievable. 'This race has been happening for a couple of years now and they're obviously seeing the growth of it, with over 500 people [here today]. It's unbelievable to see the age range, kids all the way to the oldies and they can run, walk, whatever - and no better spot to be able to do it on a good day, you can't beat it!' Runners of the 5km, 10km, 12km routes got to experience the beauty of the island first hand, through fields and winding roads, with runners of the 12K route getting to take in the beautiful coastline of Ceann Gainnimh. John Lee from Trim AC, Co. Meath (44' 25') was the winner of the 12km race, coming in just before last year's winner, DCDAC's Rodhlann Mosseop. Rodhlann's girlfriend, Emma Horackova, was the fastest woman in the 12km race for the second year in a row (53' 52'). Oughterard Garda Aidan Kelly (39' 51'') won the 10km race, whilst Karla Murray (44' 14') from Tulla AC in Co. Clare was the first woman to finish the 10km race. Eoin O'Donohoe (23' 42') won the 5km race, and the fastest woman was Erin Murray (24' 47'). Locals and visitors alike came together to enjoy the celebratory barbecue, which is always a fantastic end to the day and a highlight for many, with live music provided by drumming group, Drumadore. Mairéad Ní Fhatharta, Principal of Coláiste Naomh Eoin, was thrilled with the success of Inis Iron Meáin 2025, commenting: "The entire school community, from our staff and students to the island residents who help us out year after year have put in a tremendous effort to make it a success. Celebrating 21 years this year, we have perfected the setup at this stage, but what really sets us apart is our commitment to keeping things exciting. 'We're thrilled to have had rugby hero Bundee Aki join us on the island, alongside athletic legends Sonia O'Sullivan and Rob Heffernan.' This event receives support from local brand Cniotáil Inis Meáin, GRETB, Pleanáil Teanga Inis Meáin, Aran Island Ferries, Doolin Ferries, Conradh na Gaeilge, An Dún Inis Meáin, Leonard Doyle and Siopa Ruaidhrí Beag. Registration for next year's Inis Iron Meáin, taking place on May 2nd 2026, will open on May 15 of this year at
Irish Times
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
World Athletics Championships in Tokyo to return to RTÉ for the first time this century
The World Athletics Championships will return to RTÉ television for the first time this century, the nine-day event taking place in Tokyo in September, and the biggest sporting stage in the world this year. About 2,000 athletes from some 200 countries will compete in the 20th edition of the championships, which take place from September 13th-21st – the second time Japan has hosted the event after Osaka in 2007, and Tokyo previously in 1991. The National Stadium, rebuilt for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, will be the venue. RTÉ have not secured any television rights in Ireland since the 1999 World Athletics Championships in Seville, but this time the national broadcaster is set to schedule live coverage of each of the nine evening sessions in Tokyo, which take place between 10.30am and 2.30pm Irish time. There will also be studio analysis from Sonia O'Sullivan , Rob Heffernan and Derval O'Rourke, and it continues from RTÉ's extensive coverage of the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn last month, and the European Championships in Rome last June. READ MORE RTÉ did provide live coverage of the event throughout the 1990s, when O'Sullivan was at the peak on her running powers, including the 1997 World Championships in Athens, the last time RTÉ had full coverage, with studio analysis by Bill O'Herlihy with John Treacy and Eamonn Coghlan. For the 1999 championships in Seville, there was a 30-minute highlights package with commentary from Jimmy Magee. Virgin Media broadcast live coverage of the last World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August 2023, returning the event to Irish terrestrial television for the first time since Seville. After securing the Irish rights to the Diamond League last year, Virgin will again provide live coverage of the 15 meetings this summer, starting in Xiamen in China this Saturday. The second meeting in Shanghai on May 3rd is set to feature Rhasidat Adeleke , who will then lead the Irish team at the World Relays in Guangzhou in China, on May 10th-11th, where Adeleke is named in both the mixed 4x400m and women's 4x400m. The top 14 in each event in Guangzhou are automatic qualifiers for Tokyo. Six Irish athletes have already secured automatic qualifying times for Tokyo: Adeleke (200m/400m), Sharlene Mawdsley (400m), Sarah Healy and Sophie O'Sullivan (both 1,500m), Sarah Lavin (100m hurdles) and Andrew Coscoran (1,500m). The qualification cut-off date for most events is not until August 24th, at which point Ireland could have its largest number of qualifiers in World Athletics Championships history. The Tokyo schedule includes four morning sessions, reduced from previous championships, which take place in the early hours of the morning Irish time, but with the evening sessions featuring all the major finals.
