Emotional Gerard O’Donnell pays fitting tribute lost loved ones

St Laurence O’Toole’s Marcus Lawler (left) holds off Raheny’s Mark Smyth to win the men’s 200m. Picture: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

As morning broke on the final day of action at the national athletics championships in Santry, Gerard O’Donnell pinned a black ribbon on his Carrick-on-Shannon vest.

Running to honour someone’s memory is a tricky thing, the emotions involved always capable of derailing an athlete’s focus in a pressure situation. But this time, it felt necessary. Two people were foremost in his mind. O’Donnell’s aunt, Fidelma, passed away just three weeks ago, while it’s now almost a year since his close friend and training partner, Craig Lynch, lost his life in a car crash at the age of 29.