Sports

Double Olympian Gillian O'Sullivan has announced her retirement from competitive athletics at the age of 30. The Kerry native race-walker, who has struggled with injuries and illness in recent years, has had a hugely impressive career. She is currently the world record holder in the 5000m race walk, a record she set in Santry in 2002 at the Irish National Championships and is also the current Irish record holder in the 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m walks and holds the 10k and 20k Irish road records.

Jones was the UK Athletics High Performance Director from 1997 to 2004 and eventually retired from UK Athletics in 2005 after 24 years. During his time with UK Athletics Jones was coach to 7 Olympic Teams and Head coach for the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. Before taking up his new post with Athletics Ireland he was strength and conditioning coach to UK athlete Paula Radcliffe.

A fantastic last lap saw Dubliner David Gillick retain his 400m European Indoors crown at Birmingham last weekend (March 3rd). His stunning victory was the highlight of a competition that saw several excellent performances from Irish athletes hoping to qualify for the Beijing Olympic Games next year.

The Kilbride runner, aged 22, is fast delivering on the potential she showed as a junior and is now poised to make a big breakthrough into the senior ranks- and she could be an Olympian of the future.