McGonagle to lead track and field stars
The experienced Donegal official was yesterday appointed by Athletics Ireland to head up the association’s team of managers and deputy managers for the next three years.
McGonagle, rated highly among athletes, is chair of High Performance and vice-president of Athletics Ireland and is currently at a warm weather training camp in the Algarve with some of his elite athletes.
He was athletics team manager at both the Sydney and Beijing Olympics as well as all the major championships and his first big outdoor assignment this year will be the European championships in Barcelona next summer.
In other appointments announced yesterday, Teresa McDaid was named development team manager and will lead the Irish team at the World University Games in China next year. She will also act as deputy senior team Manager.
Hayley Harrison who, along with her husband Drew, forms a formidable coaching combination in Limerick, will manage the team for the 2011 European U-23 Track & Field Championships in the Czech Republic.
Neil Martin has been appointed junior team manager and his first big assignment will be the World Junior Track & Field Championships in Canada next summer. The deputy team manager is Brian Dowling from Naas.
Bernie Alcorn from Donegal and John McGrath from Waterford have been appointed youth team manager and deputy youth team manager, respectively, for this year’s inaugural World Youth Olympics in Singapore.
Dubliner Peter Stafford and Kilkenny man John Maye have been appointed as trainee team managers. These new roles have been created to hone the skills of future team managers through a mentoring process and will increase the pool of experienced team management personnel.
“Our aim is to widen the pool of talent in this area and the best way to facilitate this is to enable aspiring team managers to gain valuable domestic and international experience over the next three years,” Athletics Ireland chief executive, John Foley, said.
“Athletics Ireland will organise an open day in the next few months to outline the skills and experience required for future team management appointments.”
Meanwhile, the group of elite Irish athletes at the warm weather training camp in Portugal are coming to the end of their two-week stay.
“This has been a very worthwhile experience for all the athletes involved and a great opportunity for team building,” Patsy McGonagle said. “Athletes like Mary Cullen and Rosin McGettigan have been able to get in some quality training together and all our elite race walkers, Olive Loughnane, Robert Heffernan, Colin Griffin and Jamie Costin, have been able to train together.
“The camp has also given Derval O’Rourke and her coach Sean Cahill an opportunity to put in some quality technical hurdles sessions.”
The Athletics Ireland, programme of Indoor Meets, kicks off this weekend in the Nenagh indoor arena where the Woodie’s DIY Junior Indoor Championships will be held on Saturday and the AAI Games will take place on Sunday.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
