IRISH LONG DISTANCE runner Martin Fagan clocked a time of 2.16.09 at the Zurich Marathon – inside the qualifying standard for next summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The Westmeath native has been on a road to redemption after serving a two-year drug ban for taking the performance-enhancing EPO in a desperate attempt to reach the qualifying standard for London 2012.
After his suspension, he gradually began to start running again and last year he started competing in local events in Mullingar and beyond, winning Dublin’s Terenure 5-mile race last May.
Competing in Switzerland this weekend, he managed to claim 11th place overall after reaching the halfway mark in 1.06.16.
Given Fagan’s past, there is sure to be a mixed reaction to his achievement.
Already, Irish Olympian Ciarán O’Lionaird posted a less-than-subtle message to social media in the immediate aftermath of the Zurich result.
It’s good to see the under 21s doing well. But I would personally prefer to see more players from loi clubs getting a chance. Irish underage teams seem to be picked only from Dublin and England. There should be a quota from all parts of the country. How else will the game progress.
@prop joe: wasn’t a Derry city striker playing in this game for the under 21s ?
@Joey McCarthy: one out of how many?
Apparently there are signs of some good things now starting to happen in Irish youths again & some grassroots investment is paying off. Be great if it was true but be greater if we got Brian Kerr going again. He is the Eddie O’Sullivan of Irish soccer