Ann Keenan-Buckley competed in the women’s 3,000 metres at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. She was in the leading group for the first 2,000 metres before the pace of the final kilometre proved too fast.

Keenan-Buckley took a career break in October 1987 specifically to pursue the Olympic qualifying time of 9:02.00 for the 3,000 metres. The results were almost immediate: after a superb cross country season she achieved her target in Belfast in June 1988 with a time of 9:00.8.

Her assessment of the challenge spoke to her character: “It’s up to you to go out and prove you can do it. No-one can stop you.”