Nothing beats a gold medal, and when it came down to it, that’s also what won Thomas Barr the 2015 athlete of the year award. He did need to beat a couple of close contenders, although it proved a worthy honour for his most ultimately rewarding season.
Barr was one of 18 award winners announced by Athletics Ireland, while the latest induction into the Hall of Fame was former two-time World Indoor champion Frank O’Mara. Barr also collected the 2015 track and field award to reflect what proved to be another breakthrough season over the 400 metres hurdles.
As well as winning the gold medal at the World University Games in Gwanju, South Korea, Barr improved his own Irish record to 48.65 seconds at the Rome Diamond League, before narrowly missing out on a place in the final of the World Championships in Beijing.
Also in contention for the outright award were Rob Heffernan, who bounced back from injury to finish fifth in the 50km walk at those World Championships, while Mark English enjoyed a few highs over the season, not least the silver medal won over 800m at the European Indoor Championships in Prague back in March.
Barr, however, proved a popular winner, and has already turned his attention to next summer’s Rio Olympics: having already secured the qualifying time, the 23 year-old Waterford athlete admitted that the ambition now has to be making the final.
“It was a long, tough season,” said Barr, “but it’s also given me an idea of the pressure, the nerves, the expectation that comes with being a top athlete, and also how to prepare properly for the big event. The World Championships in Beijing gave me a great sample of that and the fact that I’ve been to Diamond Leagues and competed against all the guys I’ll face next year is massive.
“I know if I hadn’t done the world student Games I could have gone faster in Beijing, but I didn’t want to turn down a medal at the World University Games. Now, looking ahead to Rio, I’d love to be in the final, and the hairs rise on the back of my neck just thinking about it. But if I can come away and run my best, I’ll be happy. Where I’ve come from the last few years, I’m hopefully going to live up to my potential.”
Barr did come close to making the final in Beijing, finishing fourth in his semi-final in 48.71. English also fell just short of a place in the 800m final, and still only 22, got some consolation by picking up the under-23 award. Likewise with Heffernan, who was named endurance athlete of the year.
O’Mara was an equally popular recipient of the Hall of Fame award, although he was unable to travel from his US home due to illness: O’Mara won two World Indoor titles over 3000m, in Indianapolis in 1987 and again Seville in 1991. He also made the World 5,000m final in Rome in 1987, and was also part of the quartet that set the 4x1 mile world record in Dublin in 1985 alongside Marcus O’Sullivan, Eamonn Coghlan and Ray Flynn.
2015 Athletics Ireland award winners
Athlete of the Year: Thomas Barr (Ferrybank)
Hall of Fame: Frank O'Mara
Lifetime service to athletics: Dick Hodgins (Cork City Sports)
Outstanding official award: John McDermott (Annalee AC)
Junior athlete: Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track)
U23 athlete: Mark English (UCD)
Endurance: Robert Heffernan (Togher)
Track & Field: Thomas Barr (Ferrybank)
Inspirational performance: Brian Murphy (Crusaders)
Performance club: Clonliffe Harriers
Development club: Finn Valley AC
Team of the Year: Women's Senior Team European Cross Country Championships
Service to coaching: John Shields (Clonliffe Harriers)
Mountain runner: Ian Conroy (Raheny Shamrock)
Master athlete: Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock)
Ultra athlete: Eoin Keith (Sportsworld)
University athlete: Thomas Barr (Ferrybank)
Irish Schools Tailteann Awards – Girl: Phoebe Murphy (Loreto Clonmel)
Irish Schools Tailteann Award – Boy: Matthew Behan (CUS)
