Former US prodigy Mary Cain switches allegiance to Ireland

Mary Cain, Alexi Pappas and Rich Roll compete in the celebrity race at the 34th Annual Malibu Triathlon.

USA’s former world U-20 champion Mary Cain has completed a transfer of allegiance and is now eligible to represent Ireland internationally.

Cain, who was deemed the most gifted distance-running prodigy of her generation, grew up in New York but has an Irish grandparent. At the age of 17, she represented the US at the World Championships in Moscow over 1500m and the following year, she won the world U-20 3000m title.