John Travers: ‘I was numb. I didn’t want to race and I didn’t sleep’

In terms of sport, it’s been a great year for John Travers, who finished seventh in the 1500m final at the European Indoor Championships in March. Off the track, though, the 24-year-old has endured a torrid time, with his father, Stephen, passing away after a long illness just a day before travers finished eighth in the 1500m final at the World University Games in July. He spoke to the ’Irish Examiner’ ahead of tomorrow’s Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships in Santry...

Q. How hard has this year been for you?

A. “In terms of running I had my best year, but outside of that it was the worst year of my life. This time last year my Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour, one that you couldn’t do anything with. He was told he had 24 months to live, but then a few weeks later they said it would be six months. He got a good bit out of radiation therapy, but once he did the chemo he shut down. In the summer, what was supposed to be six months [to live] turned into a matter of weeks.”