City Sports pivotal for Sonia

Brendan Mooney

The Olympic silver medallist and former multi world and European champion, was at Cork City Hall yesterday morning when Lord Mayor Sean Martin hosted a breakfast to launch this year's event, which will feature two Olympic champions, double gold medallist Kelly Holmes and the world and Olympic long jump champion, Dwight Phillips.

They are just two of some 200 athletes who will compete in this year's high-profile event which takes on a more global look to coincide of the European Capital of Culture programme. The gathering at City Hall included Brigadier General Pat Nash, O/C 1 Southern Brigade, who represented the links between the Army, the City Sports Committee and UCC, which goes back to the foundation of the meet more than half a century ago. Also a guest of honour was Kieran Dowd, who, during an illustrious term in charge of the sports programme at UCC, also served as president of the City Sports. Dowd was the man directly responsible for bringing some of the world's biggest names to the Mardyke.