FOLLOWING HIS DRAMATIC bronze medal winning performance at this year’s European Athletics Championships, UCD’s Mark English was named as the Athlete of the Year at the National Athletic Awards this afternoon.
On a stunning night in Zurich, English claimed the bronze medal in the 800m final and the performance of the 21-year old Donegal man marked Ireland’s first ever medal in the two lap event at any major outdoor championship.
There was also a special moment for Roisin McGettigan this afternoon when she was awarded a retrospective bronze medal for the 1500m from the 2009 European Indoor Athletics Championships in Turin.
The winner of that race, Anna Alminova of Russia, was subsequently banned for a doping offence. McGettigan will now enter the record books as winning Ireland’s 21st European Indoor medal.
After twice setting the Irish record over the 400m hurdles and beating the reigning world champion in Morton Stadium in July, Thomas Barr picked up the Inspirational Performance of the Year gong while Frank Murphy of Clonliffe Harriers was inducted into the Hall of Fame and Phil Conway won the Lifetime Achievement Award.
