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Finn is looking for a personal best in Brazil. Karel Delvoije/INPHO

Meet Ireland's Olympic Team: Michelle Finn

The Cork runner takes part in the 3,000m steeplechase next month.

Updated at 21.44

Event: 3,000m steeplechase

Who is she? 26-year-old Michelle Finn is part of the Irish women’s 3,000m steeplechase team with Kerry O’Flaherty and Sara Treacy.

Where’s she from? A bit of an all-rounder, Finn competed in Gaelic football, camogie, football and gymnastics as well as athletics growing up in the village of Castlemagner, County Cork, and ran out of Leevale AC.

After doing her Leaving Certificate, Michelle went to study PE and Irish teaching at UL but left after two years to take up a scholarship in the US at Western Kentucky University.

A move to Austin, Texas, was next after graduating but she has since returned to Limerick to finish her original degree.

Olympic CV: A first appearance at the Games beckons next month for Finn and her team-mates.

Road to Rio: At the Letterkenny International Track & Field Meeting in Donegal a year ago, Finn (9.43.34), O’Flaherty (9.42.61) and Treacy (9.44.14) all secured their spots by running inside the qualification time of 9.45.00.

When does she start? Saturday, 13 August. Stick it in your diary.

Where can I follow her? You can find Michelle @M_Finners on Twitter. Give her a follow, she could do with a few.

What she says: “Would love to make the final, but it’s possibly a long shot. I’ll be happy with a personal best or a good race” - UL.ie

Medal chances: The aim is a final appearance but even that would be a big ask. Jerry says two out of five.

two jerries

And here’s something you probably didn’t know…

Finn was involved in possibly the greatest ever 4x400m relay final at Santry’s Morton Stadium back in April. Leading coming down the home straight, she was incredibly pipped just before the line by UCC’s Phil Healy.

nTrai / YouTube

Read more of The42′s Team Ireland profiles here >

Meet Ireland’s Olympic team: Tori Pena

Author
Ben Blake
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