Noelle Lenihan: 'You almost pretend you are with the rest of the girls having the bit of craic'

Fifteen-year old Noelle Lenihan was one of five Irish Paralympians to medal at the IPC Athletics World Championship in Doha this week. The North Cork AC member claimed a personal best, a world record and a silver medal in the discus F38 class.

Q: Everyone has spoken about how calm you were before, during and after your event, especially for a 15-year old. How did you manage that?

A:

“When I was going in to my competition I was a lot more relaxed than I thought I would be. I just thought about it like I was throwing at home so I just thought about that rather than about anything else. You almost pretend you are with the rest of the girls having the bit of craic back where we train, like. That kinda helped. It paid off.”

Q: So, what were you like the morning before, and the night before? Did you sleep or were you just as relaxed?

A:

“There was a bit of nerves. It was a major championships, but I just put it to the side. I just thought ‘you can only go out and do your best’. If I’d just got the personal best I would have been delighted, but to have a silver medal and the world record as well is just amazing.”

Q: Your dad Jim is there as your coach too and he has spoken about how he nearly “bawled” crying seeing you on the podium. How did you feel standing there?

A:

“It was only really sinking in at that stage. It was a bit unreal before that. It was brilliant. I was just proud and happy at how everything went and to have such an achievement at such a young age. It definitely took a while to sink in and I’ll probably be looking back on it when I get home and I won’t be able to believe it happened.”

Q: What’s it like having your dad as your coach actually?

A:

“It’s brilliant, just having him there at the events as well is kind of like a bonus. To be able to ask him anything, talk to him about things … it’s just great having family there with you.”

Q: Your first two throws were your best, was there some adrenalin pumping away under that calm exterior that helped you nail the two PBs and the world record?

A:

“I don’t know. I didn’t expect my first two to be my best, but they ended up doing the job for me. It was exactly what I needed.”

Q: What were your expectations going out?

A:

“I definitely didn’t expect all that, but I was thinking I would be delighted coming home with a personal best because that would mean you are improving the whole time. To have that and everything else was crazy.”

Q: You did very well at the Europeans in Berlin as well, did that give you a standard to aim for in Doha?

A:

“Well, not really. I didn’t really come out here looking for standards. I just came out to do my best. It didn’t bother me where I ended up finishing once I competed to the best of my ability. The Europeans were at the end of June and I did discus and shot put in those events and I got gold in both of them so I was delighted with that.”

Q: Your family has been involved with North Cork Athletics Club for nearly 30 years, and your sister Siobhan spent four years at Arkansas Tech University on a scholarship, but what attracted you to the throwing events?

A:

“My dad was one of the people who started the throwing side of things off at the club, but it was only last year I took up the discus and the javelin. So I haven’t been at it long, but it is going very well for me so far.”

Q: You’re about to turn 16, so how much more do you think is in you as an athlete??

A:

“There is always room for improvement and I have a lot of years to build up my confidence and build up my technique. You can only get better, I suppose.”

Q: You got a good send-off from the Lord Mayor of Cork last week, have there been many messages from friends at home since?

A:

“A lot of the community and my friends have been sending me best wishes and congratulations and just so many people are behind me and supporting me. It’s been brilliant.

“We met the Lord Mayor above in Cork, myself and Orla (Barry) and Niamh (McCarthy). It was brilliant for us to get the opportunity. They both have bronze medals as well, so we definitely did the county proud anyway.”

Q: It’s been a pretty crazy week for you, what’s it been like visiting a place like Doha?

A:

“It’s an incredible experience. It’s so different over here from what you are used to: the culture and the weather. The climate especially, the heat is so different. It is definitely an experience that will stick with me for a long time.”

Q: You turn 16 next Wednesday, any plans?

A:

“ I’ll be sweet sixteen, yeah! No plans yet, but everything that happened here is basically an early birthday present for me.”