John Treacy won the World Cross Country Championships in 1978 and 1979. But at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he collapsed in his 10,000 metres heat. Then at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, he won the silver medal in the marathon, and Jimmy Magee was there for RTÉ.

“The crowd stand to the Irishman from Villierstown in Waterford."

John Treacy won Olympic Silver for the marathon in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles giving Ireland a rank of 34 on the medals table.

The accompanying image shows John Treacy winning the men's 5000 metres, at the BLÉ (Bord Lúthchleas na hÉireann) National Athletics Championships at Santry Stadium, Dublin, in July 1984.
This photograph was taken by John Rowe.
© RTÉ Archives 2234/018

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