Irish athletics mourns sudden death of Olympic marathon runner Pat Hooper

After hanging up his racing shoes, Hooper remained a constant sight at events around the country

Pat Hooper pictured at the National Senior Indoor Athletics Championships last March. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Irish athletics is in mourning today after the sudden death of Olympian Pat Hooper, who passed away at the age of 68 after a suspected heart attack.

Hooper was one of the best-loved figures in the sport. He ran his marathon personal best of 2:17:46 to win the national title in 1979, and the following year he competed at the Moscow Olympics, finishing 42nd in the marathon. In 1978 he represented Ireland at the European Championships marathon in Prague, finishing 27th.

After hanging up his racing shoes his commitment to the sport endured, and if anything it grew stronger. Hooper played a huge role in the development of Raheny Shamrock AC into one of the country’s strongest clubs and he was a long-serving member of Athletics Ireland’s competition committee.

He was a constant sight at events around the country, volunteering his time as an official at everything from juvenile to masters championships, from indoor to outdoor, cross country to road. 

He is the founder of the Raheny 5-mile road race, one of the most popular events on the racing calendar. In January he was re-elected as the chairman of Leinster Athletics, while he was also the current chairman of the Dublin Athletic Board. 

His younger brother, Dick, was a three-time winner of the Dublin Marathon and a three-time Olympian. His son, Dave, is a well-known sports journalist.

Ciara Mageean summed up the thoughts of many in Irish athletics, writing on Twitter: “Thank you Pat for giving so much to our sport.”