Pat Hickey President of the Olympic Council of Ireland presented three time Olympian Maeve Kyle OBE with an International Olympic Committee “Women and Sport Achievement Diploma” in recognition of her outstanding contribution to promoting women in and through sport.The Diploma is signed by IOC President Thomas Bach.
Kyle nee Shankey competed in the 100m and 200m in the Melbourne Olympics and subsequently in the Rome and Tokyo Olympics where she reached the semi finals of both the 400m and 800m.
She took bronze in the European Indoor Championships in Dortmund 1966. Kyle was also capped 58 caps times with the Irish Women’s Hockey Team.
In 1955 her long career in coaching began when Sean and Maeve Kyle co founded the Ballymena and Antrim Athletics club, originally designed to be a women’s club, but within the year they had men on board too. The club continues to thrive to this day and the club and Kyle have won many awards in recognition of their contribution to developing athletes.
Kyle was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2006 Coach of the Year Awards in London. She was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University (DUniv) from Ulster University in 2006.
Pat Hickey was joined today by Officers of the Olympic Council and by AAI Chief Executive John Foley.
( Pictured below : President Pat Hickey and Maeve Kyle and with OCI Officers Dermot Henihan, Willie O’Brien and Kevin Kilty)
