We are in the final days of Rio 2016 here and I got to say it went in pretty fast and before we know it touching down Wednesday in Dublin.
Today it was the excitement of Robert Heffernan pushing for a medal in the 50k and whether Brendan Boyce, the Milford man in his second Olympics ,could get into top 20. Rob did drive for that medal but it wasn’t to be but a brave effort all the same. He came sixth.
Pole Vaulter Tori Pena with Patsy McGonagle in Rio at the Olympic Games this week
Rob ended up third of course in London and among the many words afterwards the message is that the Cork man is alive and well and will be back certainly for World Championships in London in 2017. So too will our Donegal man, Boyce, who came 19th. He was out on his ear after the line was crossed, but that’s exactly as it should be. That’s why I love these walking guys. They train so hard, compete so strongly and never ever ever give up .
The previous day a young lad from Waterford, Thomas Barr, gave us a run for our money as the saying goes. He finished fourth in the 400m hurdles and also managed a new national record and a classy time of 47.97 seconds.
[adrotate group=”38″]We wrap it up Sunday with three marathon runners – Kevin Seaward, Mick Clohissey and Paul Pollock – in an environment that has once again been dominated by the big lad from Jamaica, Usain Bolt.
His third Olympics, Bolt continues to dominate, begging the question in a global sport perspective, is he in the Pele or the Muhammed Ali? I guess he is.
What of Rio? What of Rio on a day when my phone was stolen? Well they responded extremely well to the weight put their shoulder to deliver, but the attendances are not of Olympian expectations. Yes, the facilities are excellent, while transport in a difficult crowded place was difficult but by staying calm we got there.
Journalists complained quite a lot about this aspect but I have no doubt that Tokyo in 2020 will be well ahead of the game and hopefully save the brand that is the Olympic Games. Now we have an air of negativity – drugs and Zika particularly – so the challenge is huge for the Olympic movement.
[adrotate group=”76″]We had our troubles in the camp, which have been well documented and which we, the athletics team, steered well clear of. The results meant it was our best Games ever on my shift. But we need to move to higher expectations and therein lies a serious debate about the culture of sport in Ireland.
The Olympics is that ultimate for athletes, coaches or whatever. Being an Olympian is in itself a big deal indeed. It is the absolute deal and then arriving in the environment creating the team ethos will be helpful to delivering what will be individual performances. That is the all-important outcome you hope as manager.
We did that. Support staff and athletes together and can build and provide so much inspiration to the younger athletes that wish and have the desire to improve and make their dreams happen.
In our world in Donegal. we have proved that we can produce from a young age with direction, encouragement ,leadership, opportunity, support and backing. That is obtained by belief, a no-nonsense approach coupled with talent and hard work the Olympic dream can become a reality.
Take our representatives in recent times in cycling, boxing ,athletics, rowing and badminton. These are the tough determined kids. Sure it can be lonely in a culture dominated by Gaelic games, rugby and soccer – the major team games – and your resolve will be tested.
At many points along the journey you may feel rightly that nobody cares but its about you.
[adrotate group=”46″]Donegal, the community in which we live, is a place where we share our stories week-in, week-out. We do it through the media locally or social media, so basically lots of people are watching and we are fortunate in that regard.
It is important that we learn to live in the real world when assessing performances and outcomes what I mean is educate the child or the the teenager to calmly to figure out what indeed is a good performance.
I will soon hit the runway at Dublin Airport and then hit the road for Ballybofey glad to have once again had the energy and health to deliver my kind of leadership in this world. I’m proud of my team, really proud but moving on for me it will be to get the athletes back on deck at Finn Valley AC.
[adrotate group=”37″]There we will continue to educate and develop and indeed seek the help of the primary schools. £hat’s working well; the secondary section not as well. This sport needs support and encouragement in the secondary sector and the recent response to the cross country invitation ‘Come and Try It Day’ attracted 27 secondary schools from the region.
Invitations are on the way once again for the primary and secondary schools cross country, which will take place in the grounds of Finn Valley in late September. I’m looking forward to that and looking forward to seeing more young Donegal children in the years ahead grow, fulfill dreams instilled in them by switched-on parents and coaches; all this as they strive to get on this stage.
My thanks to you for allowing me briefly to share my thoughts as I went along would have liked to do more blogs but things got seriously busy and time just didn’t allow for more.
My journey since leaving school and returning to my local community has been so exciting I have shared it with some great people as the saying goes ‘they know who they are.’
Thanks to, to my family, who stuck with a man that was particularly driven to do what many felt wasn’t possible.
Best wishes to you all.
