25 Years since first Irish female Olympic Finalist

Caroline O’Shea ran for Crusaders for many years. Having begun her career as a sprinter, she went on to set Irish records over 400 metres. Surprisingly beaten over 200 metres at the Leinster Championship in 1984, she chose to opt for the 800 metres at that year’s Olympic Games. Fortified by hill and speed sessions in UCD, she managed to run the qualifying time at the Cork City Sports when finishing third behind two Soviets. At the Olympic Games, she ran intelligently in the heats and semi-finals to qualify for the final, which was won by Doina Melinte of Romania. Caroline was 8^th, thereby becoming the first Irish woman to reach an Olympic final. Maeve Kyle, who was the first track and field athlete and fourth sportswoman to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games, had reached the semi-finals of the 800m in Tokyo in 1964 when the event was won by Anne Packer of the United Kingdom. Caroline’s best time was 2.00.70 and it remained the Irish record until Sonia O’Sullivan removed the smallest possible margin from the record by registering 2.00. 69. To date, no Irish woman has broken two minutes for the 800 metres, but Caroline O’Shea might have done so with ease if she had not injured herself in 1985. Her place in Irish history is assured by her performance at the Olympic Games 25 years ago.

Margaret Ó hÓgartaigh, Crusaders A.C.

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JuniorCru 800m Trials

Our young athletes had their first ever opportunity to record an 800m time at Irishtown on Saturday morning. The results were

1. Kevin Woods (U13B) 2:56.9
2. Fiachra Thirroueiz (U15B) 3:05.4
3. James Woods (U10B) 3:10.0
4. Rachel Maher (U12G) 3:12.2
5. Sarah Maher (U10G) 3:48.4
6. Ella Thirroueiz (U9G) 3:58.0
7. Grainne McGuill (U12G) 4:08.9
8. Orla Murray (U12) 4:10.5
9. Lorna Carr (U9G) 4:37.4

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Irish Times Cover 800m Olympic Struggle

Article 1 - Premature
Article 2 - The Real Deal

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