Injury-free McKiernan mapping out comeback

FIVE years ago Catherina McKiernan came within two minutes of breaking Tegla Laroupe’s women’s marathon world record.

The moment was in the midst of a spell where she dominated the classic distance’s greatest events, winning in Berlin, London and Amsterdam.

Having won four silver medals at the World Cross Country championships and claimed a European title in the mid-90s before her assault on the road circuit, the Cavan woman seemed destined for even greater things until injury struck in 1999, forcing her out of the Sydney Olympics of 2000 and a lot more since.