ONE OF IRELAND’S most successful athletes, Gillian O’Sullivan, will be honoured with the Hall of Fame Award at this year’s 123.ie National Athletics Awards on 20 November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry.

The Kerry native began a glittering career in 1994 which would see her represent Ireland at European Championships, World Championships, and an Olympic Games in the 20km Race Walk.

Arguably O’Sullivan’s best performance came in 2003 when she took silver in the 20km Walk at the World Championships in Paris, the first time since 1995 that an Irish athlete had won a World Championship medal.

The feat sees O’Sullivan remain part of an exclusive club of only five Irish athletes – Eamonn Coghlan, Sonia O’Sullivan, Olive Loughnane, and Rob Heffernan – who have podiumed at a World Athletics Outdoor Championship.

Remarkably, O’Sullivan’s national walk records across 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m & 20km still stand today.

The nominations for this year’s National Athletics Awards have also been announced. The Athlete of the Year will be selected from the athletes named as winner of the U20, middle distance, endurance, sprints and hurdles, and field categories.

2024 Nominations:

U20 Athlete of the Year

Fintan Dewhirst

Oisin Joyce

Elizabeth Ndudi

Thomas Williams

Sprint and hurdles Athlete of the Year

Rhasidat Adeleke

Sarah Lavin

Sharlene Mawdsley

Israel Olatunde

Endurance Athlete of the Year

Cormac Dalton

Efrem Gidey

Nick Griggs

Fionnuala McCormack

Field Athlete of the Year

Reece Ademola

Eric Favors

Kate O’Connor

Nicola Tuthill

Middle Distance Athlete of the Year

Cathal Doyle

Mark English

Sarah Healy

Ciara Mageean

Team of the Year

Mixed 4x400m

Women’s 4x400m

World U20 Men’s 4x400m

U20 Men’s Cross Country