'I want to win medals': The Cork native with bold marathon ambitions

In the early hours of Saturday, Irish time, Fearghal Curtin aims to break Lynch’s record when he runs the Gyeongju Marathon in South Korea.

Fearghal Curtin of Ireland competes in the senior men's 9000m during the SPAR European Cross Country Championships at Laeken Park in Brussels, Belgium. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Fearghal Curtin talks about running 42 kilometres as if he’s just joined a club which meets outside a coffee shop. “I'm still just trying to find my way, just build confidence,” says the Cork native.

In April, on his marathon debut, the 27-year-old clocked 2:11.35 in Düsseldorf. It was good enough to make him the 10th fastest Irishman ever. In the same race, Peter Lynch smashed the Irish record with 2:09.36.