Olympian Spotlight – Julie Parkes & Carol-Ann Heavey

Swimmers Carol-Ann Heavey and Julie Parkes at Dublin airport before departing for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

More than 1,000 people have represented Ireland at the Olympic Games since our nation first participated in Paris 1924. In the second of an ongoing series exploring the personal stories of Ireland’s Olympians, Julie Brown (nee Parkes) and Carol-Ann Heavey who competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, tells us about their sporting careers and what they have taken from them. Julie and Carol-Ann met at the age of 10, when Carol Ann stayed at Julie’s house on a club swimming trip, it was the start of a friendship that has lasted more than 50 years.

 

Q: Where are you from?
Julie:
I was born in Belfast and I still live in Belfast. After school , I spent time in USA at Tennessee University on a swimming scholarship. I was the first Irish swimmer to attend Tennessee and there has been four more Irish Olympic Swimmers after me.
Carol-Ann: Glenageary, Co. Dublin. After 20 years of working and living abroad in the US, Germany, and the UK, I now live back in Glenageary, Co. Dublin. It’s nice to be home but it was a very difficult adjustment.

Q: What do you do?
Julie
: My job was a Physical Education Teacher , so I still stayed sports related in my professional career.
Carol-Ann: I am a change management consultant, focusing on the people side of operational and cultural transformation. My background as an Olympian taught me a thing or two about resilience and hard work. I learned very early in my sporting career that change isn’t some magic trick that happens overnight; meaningful change is not instantaneous; rather, it requires intentionality, consistency, and a methodical approach. Just like training for the big event. It’s all about making those small, deliberate moves to get where you want to be.

Carol-Ann and Julie receiving their Team Ireland numbers in 2024

Q: What’s your favorite personal Olympic memory?
Julie:
My favourite Olympic memory has to be being the first woman swimmer from Ulster to be selected to represent Ireland at the LA Olympics. Walking into the Coliseum wearing my Irish Blazer into a crowd of 80,000 people was amazing and then just before the closing ceremony , watching John Treacy winning his Silver Medal , was an unforgettable experience.
Carol-Ann: I was sitting in a golf buggy with Sebastian Coe getting a ride to the front gates of the UCLA Olympic Village. He was on his way to the stadium to win his gold medal (1984). It was just me, him, and the buggy driver talking about his race – I felt like a real imposter!

Q: What advice do you have for aspirational Irish athletes, Irish Olympians still competing or retiring Olympians?
Julie:
To  Irish Olympians still competing, keep striving to be the best at your sport . Live in the moment and focus on your goals and dreams now! Your sporting career only lasts a short time , so take every opportunity and support available .
To retiring Olympians   –  you are never an Ex- Olympian – Once an Olympian , Always an Olympian. Be proud and help to inspire other people in your sport by getting involved in teaching or coaching. Go round schools and promote your sport with inspirational talks to the younger generation – your talk could be the start of an Olympic Games.
Carol-Ann: Don’t be afraid to be different. If you want to be in the 0.007% club (Olympian) – you have to do things differently.  Your commitment to training and competition is a choice, not a sacrifice. Being different has its own rewards.

Julie with fellow LA 1984 swimming Olympian Carol Ann Heavey. They met at the age of 10, when Carol Ann stayed at Julie’s house on a club swimming trip, a friendship that has lasted more than 50 years.

Q: What was your strongest asset as an athlete?
Julie:
My strongest asset was having the unwavering support of my parents (both Irish International swimmers themselves) They taught me to swim at the age of three and steered me in the right direction . They did everything possible to further my swimming career , even sending me twice over the summer to USA to train with the best in the States.
Carol-Ann: My strongest asset has always been my support system. My parents, particularly my mum, created an environment where taking risks, experimenting, and learning from mistakes without the fear of judgment was the norm.
I approached challenges and setbacks with a mix of excitement and determination, all thanks to my wonderful parents. Their motto was always, “Just give it a go and see what happens!” Their unwavering support gave me the courage and confidence to face anything that came my way. When you know someone has your back, fear doesn’t stand a chance!
I remember heading off to Ohio State University on an athletic scholarship with an open return ticket and my mum saying, “come home whenever you like.” With that kind of support, who wouldn’t be willing to take a chance?

Q: What was your strength?
Julie:
I feel my strength was my determination and mindset for my ultimate goal. I didn’t let anything stand in my way and my life was all about my swimming.
Carol-Ann: Looking back now, I not only liked swimming, but I liked the sense of achievement I felt when I achieved a PB or qualifying time.
Swimming wasn’t just about the big events, it was about pushing my limits and feeling that rush of personal achievement. Even on the days when my body was yelling at me to stop, or I had a serious case of FOMO, I found that little spark of purpose to keep going. It’s wild how much tougher I got, both in and out of the water. Those struggles turned into some of my proudest moments.
I now experience a similar rush of achievement on the golf course, although it’s at a different level. I’ll never be part of the .007% club, but I find my sense of personal achievement, and every day is an opportunity to improve.

Q: Who was your Olympic role model and why?
Julie:
My Olympic role model was an American swimmer called Tracey Caulkins. In 1978 at the age of 15 she won five gold medals and one silver at the World Championships . At the 1984 Olympics she won 3 gold medals. In 1981 , I was extremely lucky to be able to go to Nashville and train with Tracey for three weeks and to meet her again at the 1984 Olympics was amazing.
Carol-Ann: Jesse Owens – his legacy goes beyond sports, symbolizing resilience and the pursuit of justice, making him an enduring figure in Olympic history. Jesse is also an Ohio State University alumni which influenced my decision to attend OSU.

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