AVIVA agree three-year deal to sponsor schools athletics

AVIVA are to sponsor Irish schools athletics for the next three years.

The insurance giants have a strong track record in athletics sponsorship through schools and grassroots programmes as well as sponsorship of major athletics meetings in the UK for over a decade and yesterday Jim Dowdall, CEO of AVIVA Group Ireland, said he was confident that experience will be of real benefit to schools athletics in this country.

Schools stars, past and present, attended yesterday’s launch including former world 5,000m champion, Eamonn Coghlan, who played a significant role in securing the sponsorship, and two members of this year’s world championship team, 100m record holder, Ailis McSweeney, and 400m runner, Brian Gregan, all former schools champions, along with young sensations, Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner and Patrick O’Connor.

“AVIVA’s sponsorship of the Irish Schools’ Athletic Association is the most important and welcome sponsorship in Irish athletics,” Coghlan said. “Their support will enable the future stars of Irish athletics to blossom over the years.”

Michael Hunt, President of the Irish Schools’ Athletics Association, thanked AVIVA for a major vote of confidence.

“I am delighted to have AVIVA on board as sponsors,” he said. “The sponsorship comes at an ideal time with the 2012 Olympics just around the corner and I am certain this will lead to a huge upsurge in the numbers participating in schools’ athletics and will play a major role in the identification of future Olympians. I look forward to working with AVIVA in promoting what is best in schools’ athletics.”