Sonia O’Sullivan has been honoured with the accolade of Outstanding Contribution to the Olympic Movement in Ireland at the inaugural Olympic Council of Ireland Awards.
The awards took place on Friday, which was international Olympic Day.
O’Sullivan won a silver medal in the 5,000m at the 2000 Sydney Games and she was honoured for this and also for inspiring a generation of Olympic hopefuls to believe that success for Irish athletes was achievable.
This was particularly so for female athletes, with gold medal winning boxer Katie Taylor and hurdler Derval O’Rourke both referencing her as a role model and influence on their successful sporting careers.
The Cobh woman also served as Chef de Mission for the London Games and her presence and experience was greatly valued by the athletes who were part of Team Ireland for those Games
Ronnie Delany was named as the first inductee into Ireland’s Olympic Hall of Fame. Delany is one of Ireland’s greatest Olympians having taken gold in the 1956 1,500m.
The final award of the evening was the Spirit of Rio Awards, which centred on the Olympic values of friendship, excellence, and respect.
The recipients were rowers Gary and Paul O’Donovan together with their coach Dominic Casey.
Not only did they win an Olympic silver medal in Rio, they captured the imagination of the country with their laid back attitude to sport and along with their coach for the positive impact they had and their contribution to Skibbereen Rowing Club.
