Thomas Barr the star amid Irish athletics royalty

There was never any doubt that Thomas Barr would win the athlete of the year award at the Irish Life Health National Athletics Awards yesterday.

It was a truly special afternoon with running royalty present. Marcus O’Sullivan was inducted into the Hall of Fame and Ronnie Delany – who was acknowledged for his Olympic 1500m gold medal-winning performance 60 years ago – showed he is still a man of impeccable timing.

If there was an award for speech of the afternoon, then Marcus O’Sullivan struck gold with his interview with MC Greg Allen. O’Sullivan’s humble charm and wit won over the athletics fraternity much like in his heyday when he won three World Indoor 1500m indoor titles, competed in four Olympic Games, ran 101 sub-four minute miles and, was part of the memorable 4x 1 mile relay world record team in Belfield in 1985.