Deirdre Gallagher from Ballina Co. Mayo competed in the women's 10 kilometres race walk at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, finishing 23rd.
A student at University College Dublin, she took a year's sabbatical from her studies to prepare for the Games and qualified with a time that was 18 seconds inside the A standard - a comfortable margin that reflected her genuine quality as a race walker.
Over a 7 year period from 1992 to 1999 she competed in all major championships for her event: European and World Junior Championships; 13th in World Student Games , Japan 1995; European Track & Field Championships, Helsinki 1994; World Track and Field Championships, Gothenburg 1995; European Race Walking Team Championships. She was the winner of the 5km walk in the prestigious Penn Relays, USA Collegiate Track & Field event in 1995.
Deirdre is still the Irish record holder for the U23 10,000m walk on road set in 1996.
After retiring from competitive athletics Deirdre transitioned to coaching.
Athletics
