Great Scott: A shining example of why sport pays dividends for young women

A new name to emerge in Irish female athletics over recent years is Molly Scott. A 23-year-old sprinter from Carlow, she recently held the Irish national record for the 60m sprint

Molly Scott of St Laurence O'Toole AC, Carlow, crosses the line to win the senior women's 60m during day two of the Irish Life Health National Senior Indoor Athletics Championships at the National Indoor Arena at the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

There is something special when someone from your country achieves success on the world stage. Especially if the country is small, like our island. I still clearly remember the pride we all felt when Sonia O’ Sullivan, a local girl from Cork, dominated athletics in the 90s and took the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics. 

The country went into a frenzy of celebration. I taught in a school Ronnie Delany attended as a child and his achievement in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne was often spoken about with such reverence. Much like when Katie Taylor took gold in 2012 and again Kellie Harrington’s incredible achievement in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 brought gold and pride back to the country.