Prominent Cork Presence at Athletics Ireland National Athletics Awards 2023
Annette Quaid, Nicola Tuthill, Mark Carroll, John Sheehan, John Hartnett & Leevale AC Honoured at Athletics Ireland National Athletics Awards
Sponsored by 123.ie
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin
Thursday November 22nd 2023
Athletics Ireland Release
MAGEEAN AND ADELEKE CROWNED JOINT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR WINNERS
Interviews, profiles and photos on Athletics Ireland's Facebook Page
Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn) and Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) were named as the joint Athlete of the Year winners at the 123.ie National Athletics Awards which took place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry today (November 22nd)
Mageean and Adeleke took top honours on the back of their respective record-breaking seasons which were highlighted with 4th place finishes at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest
An outstanding season for Mageean now sees the Portaferry athlete boast national records at 800m (1:59.27), 1000m (2:31.06), 1500m (3:55.87) and the Mile (4:14.58), while 2023 NCAA 400m champion Adeleke also lays claim to a host of Irish national records including 60m (7.17), 200m (22.34), 300m (36.87), and 400m (49.20)
Mageean also walked away with today’s Track Athlete of Year Award, fending off strong competition from Irish relay star Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) and fellow record breakers Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) and Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) who all enjoyed exceptional years
Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) also picked up the U23 athlete of the year ahead of the exciting trio of Sarah Healy (UCD AC), Sophie O'Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC), and Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC)
European U20 long jump champion, Elizabeth Ndudi (Dundrum South Dublin AC), was named U20 Athlete of Year following her superb gold medal performance in Jerusalem back in August. Ndudi produced the jump of her life to set a new national U20 long jump record of 6.56m on her way to securing Ireland’s first field event gold medal at a European U20 championships
The U20 award was hotly contested with Nick Griggs (Mid Ulster AC) and Dean Casey (Ennis Track) nominated for the second year in a row, while Oisin Joyce (Lake District AC) was a worthy nominee for the category given his superb breakout season in the javelin
Irish relay has enjoyed another stellar year, and it was fitting that the mixed relay team of Callum Baird, Chris O’Donnell, Jack Raftery, Roisin Harrison, Sharlene Mawdsley, and Sophie Becker picked up the Team of the Year Award on the back of their performance at the World Championships in Budapest
Mark Carroll was a very popular inductee into the Hall of Fame for 2023. Carroll enjoyed a glittering career, announcing his arrival on the international scene by taking the European Junior Men’s 5,000m title in 1991 before going on to claim bronze in the 5,000m at the European Championships in Budapest (1998). Carroll would fulfil a lifelong ambition in the year 2000 when he won gold in the 3,000m at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Ghent
Carroll also boasts a win in the prestigious Wanamaker Mile (2000), but arguably the greatest race of Carroll’s career was in Monaco in 1999, when he set the Irish 3,000m record of 7.30.36 which still stands today
While the 123.ie National Athletics Awards are a celebration of the many successes of our international and national athletes, it also commemorates the association’s exceptional volunteer base. The Lifetime Services to Athletics Awards was presented to Matt Lynch, while Ballymena and Antrim’s Martin Wilkinson won Official of the Year
John Hartnett and Susan Smith Walsh were joint recipients of Special Recognition Awards, while John Sheehan (Leevale AC) received the award for services to coaching
Greg Allen Speaking to John Hartnett
Elaine Robinson, Managing Director for 123.ie commented: “At 123.ie, our team are always trying for better, for both our customers and the community. And that’s what our Irish athletes, in every corner of the country do every day. The 123.ie National Athletics Awards is a fantastic opportunity to support and honour our Irish Athletes on their achievements throughout a record breaking year. I’d like to congratulate each of the Award winners and their families, their coaches, and all of the volunteers across the country on their achievements this past year and wish you continued success in 2024.”
CEO of Athletics Ireland, Hamish Adams: “The 123.ie National Athletics Awards allow us celebrate the great performances of our athletes over the course of the last year, while also offering Athletics Ireland the opportunity to thank and acknowledge our coaches, officials, and clubs for their enormous contribution to the success of our sport
We have enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2023 and we look forward to building on this year’s successes heading into an Olympic year in 2024 and beyond.”
President of Athletics Ireland, John Cronin, added: “We are very proud of how our athletes have represented us across a busy year of competition both domestically and internationally
We have enjoyed many highlights since last year’s European Cross Country Championships in Turin and these awards give us the opportunity to acknowledge those performances. We also thank our coaches, clubs, volunteers, and long serving members of our athletic community who all play a hugely important role in the promotion, growth, and success of our sport.”
A truly record-breaking season has seen 90 records fall across all disciplines over the last ten months, eclipsing the previous record high of 81 records from the 2022 season. A full list of records can be found on at AthleticsIreland.ie
123.ie National Athletics Award Winners 2023
Hall of Fame: Mark Carroll (Leevale AC)
Athlete of the Year: Ciara Mageean & Rhasidat Adeleke
Endurance Athlete of the Year: Brian Fay
Under 20 Athlete of the Year: Elizabeth Ndudi
Under 23 Athlete of the Year: Rhasidat Adeleke
Track Athlete of the Year: Ciara Mageean
Field Athlete of the Year: Eric Favors
Team of the Year: 4x400m Mixed Relay World Championships
Inspirational Performance on Irish Soil: Israel Olatunde (60m Record - Sport Ireland NIA)
Lifetime Services to Athletics: Matt Lynch
Special recognition Awards: John Hartnett & Susan Smith Walsh
Performance Club of the Year: Leevale AC
No fewer than four gold medals at Nationals, including a near 8m long jump by Reece Ademola. Their men’s team won the National League and their women’s team placed second, while their Juniors and Under 23’s got in on the medal-winning act taking 5 gold medals across those Championships - Performance Club of the Year is Leevale AC
Services to Coaching: John Sheehan (Leevale AC)
Athletics is his passion, and for 43 years he has given his life to the sport. The Services to Coaching Award goes to Leevale's John Sheehan
Official of the Year: Martin Wilkinson
Development Club of the Year: Ratoath AC
Mountain Runner of the Year: Becky Quinn
Masters Athlete of of the Year: Annette Quaid (Leevale AC)
Last March in Poland she ran one of the races of her life in winning the World Masters W45 400m gold, while also claiming the 800m gold and silver in the 200m. In the summer outdoors she won 400m gold in the W45 category and was part of two relay gold medal performances …one of which was a European record. Her 57.22 seconds over 400 at the AAI Games last January is the fastest ever in the W45 category in Europe - The Master Athlete of the Year is Annette Quaid
Ultra Runner of the Year: Ciaran McGonagle
Schools’ Athlete of the Year: Adam Nolan
University Athlete of the Year: Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC & Bandon)
Along with setting no fewer than six Irish under 23 Irish records this year, she also put together a superb series of throws to win the Universities Hammer Championship. The UCD athlete was 4th at the European Under 23 Championships. It’s been a steady sequence of progression since she won her first Irish title at 16 years of age and she’s still only 19 - The University Award goes to Nicola Tuthill
Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC & Bandon) Interview
Special Recognition Award: John Hartnett (Grange AC)
