Ciara Mageean was named as the Athlete of the Year at the 123.ie National Athletics Awards which took place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry yesterday.
Mageean took top honours after her superb season which saw the Portaferry star claim a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in August, before going on to claim yet another major medal with a superb silver-medal-winning-performance at the European Championships in Munich.
Her season didn’t stop there, going on produce the best performance of her career to date to break Sonia O’Sullivan’s Irish 1500m record on her way to victory at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on September 2nd (3:56.63).
The two-time Olympian carved more than two seconds off O’Sullivan’s previous record of 3:58.85 set in 1995, and it brought her home ahead of European champion and Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir of Britain.
The Irish 1500m record holder also walked away with the Track and Field Athlete of Year Award, fending off strong competition from fellow Munich medallist Mark English, as well as Sarah Lavin and Louise Shanahan who both enjoyed stellar seasons.
Rhasidat Adeleke announced herself on the world stage with a blistering run in the final of the women’s 400m at the European Championships in Munich earlier this summer, finishing fifth and setting a new Irish record. The Tallaght AC sprinter received the U23 Athlete of Year Award ahead of the exciting trio of Israel Olatunde, Sarah Healy, and Kate O’Connor, who we had the pleasure of interviewing on stage at Ulster University last week.
Catherina McKiernan was a very popular inductee into the Hall of Fame for 2022. The county Cavan native enjoyed her first major cross-country success in 1988 when she won the Irish schools cross-country title. From there, her career as a cross-country runner blossomed, winning silver at the World Cross Country Championships four years in succession from 1992 to 1995. In 1994, McKiernan won gold at the inaugural European Cross Country Championships in Alnwick, England.
She would go on to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games in 1992 and 1996. In 1997, she moved up to the marathon and ran the fastest debut ever by a woman at the time, when she won the Berlin Marathon in a new Irish record of 2.23.44. McKiernan would go on to win the London marathon in 1998, while also bettering her Irish record at the Amsterdam Marathon in a time of 2.22.23 NR which still ranks top of the Irish all-time list.
While the 123.ie National Athletics Awards are a celebration of the many successes of our international and national athletes, it also commemorates the association’s exceptional volunteer base. Pat Kelly (St Abban’s) was named as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient – the pinnacle volunteer award, while Alister Wilson (Midleton AC) won Outstanding Official of the Year.
Michele Carroll and Carey May were joint recipients of Special Recognition Awards, while Paddy Fay (Raheny Shamrock) received the award for services to coaching.
“At 123.ie we talk about ‘always trying for better’ and that’s what our Irish athletes, in every corner of the country do every day,” said Elaine Robinson, Managing Director of 123.ie.
“The 123.ie National Athletics Awards is a fantastic opportunity to support and honour our Irish Athletes on their achievements throughout a very successful and memorable 2022.”
“I’d like to congratulate each of the Award winners and their families, their coaches, and all of the volunteers across the country on their achievements this past year and wish you continued success in 2023.”
“The awards not only allow us to celebrate the great performances of our athletes over the course of the year, but it also gives Athletics Ireland the opportunity to formally acknowledge our coaches, officials, and clubs for their enormous contribution to the success of our sport,” added Hamish Adams, CEO of Athletics Ireland.
“We wish all our athletes success at the forthcoming European Cross Country Championships in Italy, and we look forward to building on this year’s successes into 2023 and beyond.”
