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It truly does mean so much, it’s a day I will remember for the rest of my life, purely due to the high emotions that came with it. I’ll always remember getting ready, doing my hair and make up as I usually do while on FaceTime to my friends, and then getting to step out in front of 80,000 people and seeing my parents just as I walked to the final call. Running the fastest I’ve ever ran on the biggest stage of them all showed me that I could deal with the pressure involved in high performance and it gave me the belief that I’ve always needed.
Nothing. It’s funny because it was just instinct, run like I always did and just empty the tank. That’s all I could do. I actually felt devastated when I heard I had ran 49.14—which I never thought would be possible—but the agonising feeling of just missing out on the medal felt raw at the time. Now I’m proud that I did everything I could for the team.
When I played team sports and I realised it wasn’t for me!
Try everything. I tried a lot of things and 99% of them weren’t right for me. Then I fell in love with running fast and that stuck with me.
I had given myself three years of putting everything I had into running even though I knew it wasn’t 100%. I still knew I had so much room to improve. So after the Olympics, when the motivation was low, I sought what would be the best decision for me. It was a really hard decision to make the move, because it affected quite a big part of my life, but I knew if I didn’t make the change I would always wonder “what if”. After a brief encounter with Tony in Paris, I knew it was the right move for me.
Tony has made everything really refreshing. I have 100% trust in him. If Tony asks me to run 500m in training, I do it, no questions asked. He knows my weaknesses and wants to constantly improve on them. I have to listen to feedback, which is quite new to me and my mindset has changed in that I want to know what I can do better now. Before, I didn’t want to hear it.
I love when we are in the team tents before our own individual warm up is taking place. Specifically, the women’s relay, the sense of girlhood in those moments is so special. We joke that Sharls Salon should be open for business because we have all the hair goods, make up, etc. ready to go. And that will always remain a special memory for me.
Seeing the growth in Irish athletics is so special. I can’t wait to see more kids get the opportunity to try out athletics and see if they have a love for it.
Planning is crucial, but the reality is there are a lot of sacrifices to be made in what I do. I always make time to prioritise my friends and family on rest days or during meals. But the other side is that I’ve missed out on family events because of the demands of training and competing.
Qualifying for the Paris Olympics in 2024 after promising myself I would be there individually back in 2021.
As with the relay team, sometimes having people around you to keep you motivated can help. That’s why I’m delighted to be a part of the Forvis Mazars Steps Team Challenge which kickstarts on January 20 and runs until February 16. Taking part in a challenge like this where you be a part of a team is an enjoyable way to become active. I will be taking part with my family, and I hope that gives them the enjoyment to keep active once it finishes. This challenge is a great way to start getting active and having fun while doing it.
Always remember that keeping active will always have you feeling great after. (Even if at the time it doesn’t feel like it!). Whether you are part of a company, a club, or just a group of friends, you’ll strengthen bonds while having fun together. At the end of the day, it’s not about how far or how fast you go — it’s about taking those steps together and having fun while doing it.