Athletics Ireland may look abroad to fill role

ATHLETICS Ireland could turn their back on Jim Kilty and move outside the country to fill the position of Director of Coaching which has become vacant following the resignation of Stephen Maguire.

The position, created under the new structure, was only filled this year but Stephen Maguire tendered his resignation — effective from August 31 — for health reasons.

While he had been in the position for just a few months he had been acting Director of Coaching for some time previously — adding flair and enthusiasm to the position.

Popular among athletes and officials alike, he was originally an experienced jumps coach, but, in more recent times, his qualities as an all round coach were underscored by the success of schools star sprinter Jason Smyth, who set a world paralympic record at 10.86 secs when winning the 100m at the world games in Holland.

The Board was to discuss the replacement at last night’s meeting and all the indications were that an international coach could be brought in to fill the vacancy.

There is a strong body of opinion within the sport favouring Jim Kilty for the job. He previously held the position of National Coaching Director and, in that capacity, introduced several innovations. His own qualities as a coach were highlighted this year when Derval O’Rourke won a gold medal at the world indoor championships in Moscow and a silver medal at the European outdoor championships in Gothenburg.

It is understood that he was among the unsuccessful applicants for the job when it was advertised originally, but it is felt that the success enjoyed by O’Rourke and the profile enjoyed by athletics as a result would be very much in his favour should he put himself forward again.

There are also hopes that Stephen Maguire will be persuaded to fill one of the two vacancies in schools coaching following the appointment of Eamonn Harvey to one of the new development positions and the resignation of Brid Golden from Waterford.

The new Development Officers met with the Director of Development, Gary Ryan, yesterday.

Eamonn Harvey is one of the new officers representing the North West of the country and the team also includes Jaqui Stokes-Freyne from Waterford, a former international sprinter and long jumper, Paul McNamara, who represents the West, Pat Ryan in the Midlands, Bart Rodgers, North Dublin, and Ryan Montgomerie from Scotland, who will work in the South Dublin/Wicklow area.

“We have a really good combination of people with lots of experience and enthusiasm and coming from different backgrounds,” Gary Ryan, who brought the curtain down on his international sprinting career at last month’s European championships, said.

“Working as a team we can draw on all of that experience,” he added.

Ireland will have three representatives at the World Half Marathon championships in Debrecen next month. Joe McAllister (St Malachy’s), winner of last week’s national championships in Letterkenny, and the runner-up, Cian McLoughlin (Clonliffe Harriers), will compete in the men’s race.

Jill Shannon (Lagan Valley), the newly crowned women’s champion, will compete in the women’s race.