Loughnane named Athlete of the Year

Loughrea AC’s Olive Loughnane was named Athlete of the Year at tonight’s National Athletics Awards in Dublin.

The awards, in association with Woodie’s DIY and Tipperary Crystal, took place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry and saw 14 awards presented on the night.

Loughnane’s gave the nation a huge lift with her magnificent performance in winning a silver medal in the 20Km Walk at the World Championships in Berlin.

The Galway-born athlete walked her way into Irish athletics history joining an elite group of Irish athletes to have won a World Championships medal.

Only Eamonn Coghlan, Sonia O’Sullivan and Gillian O’Sullivan had seen the tricolour raised in the 26-year history of the competition.

Loughnane also picked up the Performance of the Year Award which is decided by a panel of Ireland’s top athletics journalists.

She completed the treble by winning the Walker of the Year Award.

The hotly-contested Track Athlete of the Year was awarded to Derval O’Rourke of Leevale AC.

O’Rourke broke her own Irish record when finishing fourth in the 100m Hurdles final at the World Championships in Berlin, and was just 0.12 second outside the medals when she clocked 12.67 – the fastest time of the year over the distance by a European athlete.

The Cork woman had announced her return to form when winning bronze over the 60m Hurdles at the European Indoor Championships in Berlin, clocking 7.92 – her fastest time since 2006.

O’Rourke’s coaches Sean and Terri Cahill of Cushinstown AC, who were instrumental in the Cork’s woman’s performance in 2009, jointly received the Coach of the Year Award.

Mary Cullen of North Sligo AC was awarded the Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

Cullen came within two seconds of a medal at the European Cross Country Championships last December.

Irish Athletics legend John Treacy was inducted into the Hall of Fame 30 years after retaining his World Cross Country title.

Ciara Mageean of Lisburn AC was winner of the Junior/Emerging Athlete of the Year.

The 17-year-old has already demonstrated her world-class credentials this year, winning gold at the European Youth Olympics and silver at the World Youth Championships in Italy.

Another exciting prospect for the future is Field Athlete of the Year Kelly Proper of Ferrybank AC who had another record-breaking season in 2009.

The Waterford long jumper displayed her championship temperament when setting a new Irish Record of 6.59m to qualify for the final at the European Indoor Championships in Turin in March, placing seventh in the final.

Proper also took her fourth national title with a wind-assisted leap of 6.68m. At the European Under-23 Championships in July, Proper came within one centimetre of the Irish Record jumping 6.58m to finish sixth.

Proper’s club Ferrybank AC were awarded Club of the Year.

Speaking at the awards dinner, Athletics Ireland President Liam Hennessy said: ‘The National Athletics Awards are critical as they take in the full spectrum of the sport, from high performance right down to the people at grass-roots level.

‘It is important for everyone to remember that without those who work voluntarily for the sport then we wouldn’t be able to produce the calibre of athletes we are seeing today. It is fantastic to get all these people in one room to celebrate the sport.’

National Athletics Awards with Woodie’s DIY and Tipperary Crystal Winners

Track Athlete of the Year: Derval O’Rourke Leevale AC
Road/Cross County Athlete of the Year: Mary Cullen
Field Athlete of the Year: Kelly Proper Ferrybank AC
Race Walker Athlete of the Year: Olive Loughnane Loughrea AC
Junior/Emerging Athlete of the Year: Ciara Mageean
Master Athlete of the Year: Jimmy McDonald Menepians AC
Performance & Athlete of the Year: Olive Loughnane
Hall of Fame: John Treacy
Outstanding Official: Joe O'Flynn Leevale AC
Lifetime Achievement: Sean Naughton Nenagh Olympic AC
Club of the Year: Ferrybank AC
Coach of the Year: Sean & Terri Cahill Cushinstown AC