Though there were plenty of contenders, including Sam Bennett and Eddie Dunbar, Dingle woman Josie Knight was perhaps the breakthrough Irish cyclist of 2014.

RUAIRI FINNEGAN (Letterkenny AC), a finalist at the world youths championships a couple of weeks ago, claimed the gold medal in the 1,500m at the European Youth Olympics in Trabzon, Turkey, yesterday.

OLYMPIANS Olive Loughnane and Robert Heffernan will be the star attractions at the Dublin Grand Prix of Race Walking in the Phoenix Park today (11am).

OLIVE LOUGHNANE can’t wait to toe the line at the 23rd IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia, on Sunday for several reasons but mainly her recent good form.