Sinead Diver running for Australia in the Women's 10,000m Final at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
MAYO NATIVE SINEAD Diver has been officially selected for the Australian team for this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
The 44-year-old will compete at her first Olympics, running the marathon, after finding athletics in her thirties and completing her first official 26.2-miler in October 2014.
Having missed out on Rio 2016 through injury, Diver — a mother of two — now joins the six-strong marathon team of her adopted country, having lived in Melbourne for almost 20 years now.
The other racers are Lisa Weightman, preparing for her fourth Games, Brett Robinson Liam Adams returning for their second, with Diver, Ellie Pashley, and Jack Rayner making their respective Olympic debuts.
“Diver, Weightman and Pashley combine as the strongest trio Australia has ever sent to a Games, with all three in the Australian top-8 all time,” a statement reads.
The Belmullet star becomes the oldest athlete to race for Australia in Olympic athletics competition, though the focus on her age frustrates Diver.
“I know, in some ways, it’s meant to be complimentary,” she said in a profile for the Australian Olympic Committee, as quoted by AP.
“Not a lot of athletes continue to find success in their 40s, but I’ve been running for a relatively short period of time, so it’s a very different scenario for me.”
Her story is a reminder of all that's great about the Olympic ideal - after missing out in 2016 through injury, few will deserve their shot more in Tokyo. https://t.co/7BxCn9s5UA
Diver says success at any age “is all about your mindset.”
“I’m still really motivated and determined because I haven’t been doing it for that long,” she said. “My age isn’t an issue with people I train with. They’re all a lot younger than me but they show me the same respect as anyone else in the group.”
Diver’s PB is 2:24.11, set in the 2019 London Marathon as she secured Olympic qualification. She finished eighth in the 2020 edition, clocking 02:27:07 in wet conditions.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Mayo's 44-year-old marathon runner selected for Australian Olympics team
MAYO NATIVE SINEAD Diver has been officially selected for the Australian team for this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
The 44-year-old will compete at her first Olympics, running the marathon, after finding athletics in her thirties and completing her first official 26.2-miler in October 2014.
Having missed out on Rio 2016 through injury, Diver — a mother of two — now joins the six-strong marathon team of her adopted country, having lived in Melbourne for almost 20 years now.
The other racers are Lisa Weightman, preparing for her fourth Games, Brett Robinson Liam Adams returning for their second, with Diver, Ellie Pashley, and Jack Rayner making their respective Olympic debuts.
“Diver, Weightman and Pashley combine as the strongest trio Australia has ever sent to a Games, with all three in the Australian top-8 all time,” a statement reads.
The Belmullet star becomes the oldest athlete to race for Australia in Olympic athletics competition, though the focus on her age frustrates Diver.
“I know, in some ways, it’s meant to be complimentary,” she said in a profile for the Australian Olympic Committee, as quoted by AP.
“Not a lot of athletes continue to find success in their 40s, but I’ve been running for a relatively short period of time, so it’s a very different scenario for me.”
Diver says success at any age “is all about your mindset.”
“I’m still really motivated and determined because I haven’t been doing it for that long,” she said. “My age isn’t an issue with people I train with. They’re all a lot younger than me but they show me the same respect as anyone else in the group.”
Diver’s PB is 2:24.11, set in the 2019 London Marathon as she secured Olympic qualification. She finished eighth in the 2020 edition, clocking 02:27:07 in wet conditions.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Irish Eye sinead diver