GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN SET TO ENTER HALL OF FAME AT NATIONAL ATHLETICS AWARDS

Athletics Ireland is delighted to announce that Gillian O’Sullivan, one of Ireland’s most successful athletes, will be honoured with the Hall of Fame Award at this year’s 123.ie National Athletics Awards on Wednesday November 20th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry.

The Kerry native began a glittering career in 1994 which would see her represent Ireland at European Championships, World Championships, and an Olympic Games in the 20km Race Walk.

Arguably O’Sullivan’s best performance came in 2003 when she took silver in the 20km Walk at the World Championships in Paris, the first time since 1995 that an Irish athlete had won a World Championship medal. The feat sees O’Sullivan remain part of an exclusive club of only five Irish athletes – Eamonn Coghlan, Sonia O’Sullivan, Olive Loughnane, and Rob Heffernan – who have podiumed at a World Athletics Outdoor Championship.

Other career highlights included a top ten finish at the Olympic Games in Sydney back in 2000, a World Record 5,000m walk in Dublin back in 2002 (20:02.60), as well a world best time at nationals over 3000m (11.35.34) at the Odyssey Arena Belfast the following year.

O’Sullivan retired in 2007 aged 30, stating: “To retire from competing was always going to be a huge decision for me but I have put a lot of thought into it, and I feel now is the best time to move on. Athletics has been so good to me, but it has got to the stage where with some of the problems I’ve had I didn’t feel I could get back to the heights I hit in 2002 and 2003 and to leave now I can be happy with everything I have achieved and not have any regrets”.

Remarkably, O’Sullivan’s national walk records across 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m & 20km still stand today.

The nominations for this year’s National Athletics Awards have also been announced. This year’s awards will celebrate the many successes of Irish athletes during the season, while also commemorating the exceptional volunteer base who are the bedrock of the sport. The Athlete of the Year will be selected from the athletes named as winner of the U20, Middle Distance, Endurance, Sprints & Hurdles, and Field categories.

Irish athletics has enjoyed a stellar year, and the 2024 nominations are sure to draw much healthy debate over the coming weeks as we build up to the awards ceremony on November 20th which will start at the later start time of 3pm.

Ireland’s relay squads set the tone for an outstanding season with World Relay success in the Bahamas teeing up what will be remembered as one of the great weeks in Irish athletics at Rome 2024. European Championship medals for Ciara Mageean, Rhasidat Adeleke, and the relay teams captured the imagination of a nation, enthusiasm that flowed over into what was regarded by many as the best national track and field championships in recent years. Paris loomed large on the back of nationals and performances from Irish Olympians across the track and field events did little to dampen the enthusiasm surrounding Irish athletics.

The next generation of stars also shone this season, with a host of international medals coming home across Cross Country, European U18, and World U20 Championships.

2024 Nominations:

U20 Athlete of the Year Nominations

• Fintan Dewhirst
• Oisin Joyce
• Elizabeth Ndudi
• Thomas Williams

Sprint & Hurdles Athlete of the Year Nominations

• Rhasidat Adeleke
• Sarah Lavin
• Sharlene Mawdsley
• Israel Olatunde

Endurance Athlete of the Year Nominations

• Cormac Dalton
• Efrem Gidey
• Nick Griggs
• Fionnuala McCormack

Field Athlete of the Year Nominations

• Reece Ademola
• Eric Favors
• Kate O’Connor
• Nicola Tuthill

Middle Distance Athlete of the Year Nominations

• Cathal Doyle
• Mark English
• Sarah Healy
• Ciara Mageean

Team of the Year Nominations

• Mixed 4x400m
• Women’s 4x400m
• World U20 Men’s 4x400m
• U20 Men’s Cross Country

Other awards to be presented on the day include, Performance & Development Clubs of the Year, Services to Coaching, Lifetime Services to Athletics, Official of the Year, and many more.

123.ie National Athletics Awards

• Wednesday November 20th at 3.00pm.
• Location: Crown Plaza Hotel, Santry, D09 X9X2
• Tickets on sale HERE
• Dress code: Smart

Please note there are only a limited number of tickets available.

If you have any queries, please contact maresaconnolly@athleticsireland.ie.