The big interview with John Travers: 'Everything Jerry Kiernan said was what you needed to hear'

Sligo's John Travers only truly fell in love with athletics when Jerry Kiernan became his coach. Kiernan's straight talk had a way of connecting that got the best out of him. Covid-19 — as well as heartbreak over Kiernan's death — spoiled Travers' Euro hopes in March. But now it's all about the Olympics.

John Travers prior to his heat of the Men’s 3000m at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Torun, Poland. in March. ‘When the boot was put down, it was like someone just took the key out of the car on me. I went to absolute zero.’ Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

He started out running it for Jerry but it turned out he was running with Covid.

Probably the last time, if ever, you’ve heard of John Travers was when you most recently tuned in to the athletics: for the European Indoor Championships in the aptly-titled Polish city of Torun in early March when Ireland sent our biggest team ever to it.