Thomas Barr continues on ‘upward curve’

Thomas Barr’s heart was pounding on stage when he was awarded Athlete of the Year at the GloHealth National Athletics Awards at the Crowne Plaza in Santry yesterday.

“I still consider myself to be a bit of a small fish,” said the 400m Hurdles specialist on stage when comparing himself to Robert Heffernan (Togher) and Mark English (UCD) who were also in the audience.

The Waterford man edged Heffernan, who won Endurance Athlete of the Year, and English, who won U23 athlete of the year, to the top award with his consistency throughout the year.

He competed regularly in the premier Diamond League events, set a new national record of 48.65 seconds and won the World University Games in South Korea along with making the semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

“It’s been an upward curve over the last three of four years. Luckily I’ve had kind of very little disappointment and each year has been building on what I did in 2011,” said Barr on his upward curve.

He described the Diamond League meet in Doha in May where he finished third in 48.99 seconds as a pivotal moment to his season. “It was a huge boost,” he admitted. “Just to get to the Diamond League, to get an invite was a big enough deal and I was completely in awe of the whole situation surrounded by people I’d watched on the TV for years.

“To actually be there was one thing, coming down the home straight I pulled through a performance and came in third place. That started off a bit of a trickle then. I got invited to more Diamond Leagues and had really good success at the major championships throughout the year.” Barr’s crowning moment was in Gwangu, South Korea in August where he coped with the tag of favourite delivered a memorable performance.

“It was quite difficult because I was going in as the favourite. I knew there was a bounty on my head almost going through all the rounds but I knew if I could stay calm and not get ahead of myself that I could pull it off.

“And I did in the end, I didn’t get complacent. Coming into the home straight when we were in a bit of a blanket finish that’s when I thought if I don’t mess this up in the next two hurdles then I have it. Coming off the last hurdle I had that extra little bit of momentum over my rivals.” The affable Ferrybank athlete had high praise for his coach Hayley Harrison in helping him maintain his peak over a long summer.

“The brains behind the operation is my coach Hayley Harrison,” affirmed Barr on who kept him in shape. “It was very difficult because the championships were in Korea and in Beijing there was a lot of time almost wasted on acclimatisation. Trying to get training in around all that was really difficult but to be honest I don’t really know how we pulled it off, but we managed too.”

As for the Olympic Games and a final in Rio next year: “I don’t want to jinx it yet. We’ll see - that’s all I can say.”

Barr finished off in his customary good humour saying “Hopefully if the vase (for athlete of the year) is worth anything I’ll get there.”

Meanwhile Robert Heffernan was delighted to be at the awards and receive Endurance athlete of the year and was confident for the year ahead.

“It’s great to be back here,” said the Togher athlete. “I know how to get into shape for the championships. Fifth place in Beijing for me was as good as any result that I’ve ever had in the past. It’s very promising for me going into Rio.”