O’Donnell caps breakthrough year with top award

THE Irish Life National Health Athletics Awards gala took place in Dublin on Wednesday and there was joy for local athlete Christopher O’Donnell.

It was a glittering event with some big Irish athletics stars both past and present acknowledged on the day. Rob Heffernan former World race walk champion won the overall Athlete of the Year award and the amazing feats of Longford’s Ray Flynn were acknowledged with his Hall of Fame entry for his World class running in the 1980s.

The terrific season in 2017 by Sligo’s own Christopher O’Donnell was also acknowledged when he won the Male Irish Schools Athlete of the Year.

This was indeed just recognition for the North Sligo AC athlete who had a spectacular breakthrough year in the sport over 400 metres. Not only did he retain his national titles at Irish Senior Schools and Irish U 20 levels, he competed with distinction at the European Junior Athletics championships In Italy last July where he finished 6th overall in a new national junior record of 46.54. That time alone placed Christopher second fastest senior athlete in Ireland in 2017, second only to Brian Gregan who won the Track Athlete of the Year award this week.

Many people watched Christopher’s races via internet TV over three days in July with awe, as he took on the best of Europe and more than held his own. Through his heat, semi-final and final, the talented teenager put in three top class performances that ultimately resulted in his 6th place finish and wholesale acknowledgement from all athletics circles of the level that O’Donnell has now risen too. It was a terrific endorsement of the work and relationship that Christopher and his coach Roddy Gaynor had put together over the last few years. Currently Christopher has now moved on to the next stage of his athletic development by taking a scholarship this year at University of Loughborough. He will now be coached directly by Nick Dakin at Loughborough with Roddy taking up a mentoring role to assist in guiding the athlete from Junior ranks to Senior.

Asked about this latest award for O Donnell, Roddy Gaynor said: “This is exactly the level of acknowledgement that Chris deserved for his performances in 2017. “His work ethic and attention to detail at all stages throughout the year was exceptional and our national athletics body now know exactly the athletic talent that they are dealing with.

“To run 46.5 at 19 is truly world class at that age level and such a terrific indicator for the future.”

Roddy did however remind the young Sligo athlete that this award is “to be celebrated for sure, but also a signal to put 2017 in the rear view mirror and move to the next chapter of his career.”

In this regard, the good news is that he has already qualified in the 400M for the European Senior Athletics Championship in Berlin for 2018 and this also brings the exciting prospect of him racing in the 4 x 400 relay with Tom Barr, Mark English and Brian Gregan.

“We all look forward to what 2018 holds in store for this immensely talented athlete,” Roddy added.