Sinead McConnell says her return to athletics happened ‘by mistake’ – but now she sits with two World Masters medals around her neck.
Three years ago, Shauna Carlin put a call in and coaxed her back to Finn Valley AC for a National League meeting and the bug bit once more.
It had been 28 years since the Castlefin woman competed, but now she was back and on a journey that landed her in Malaga for this month’s World Masters Championships.
McConnell set a new Donegal record in the 5k, finishing in 27:01.456 as she came in only two seconds behind the silver medal winner, Hungarian Katalin Bodorkos-Horvath.
In the 10k, McConnell was also behind the Hungarian athlete as she got into the top three after a gutsy race.
“It happened by mistake, really!” she smiles now, at a homecoming reception to honour Finn Valley AC’s World Masters athletes.
“When I started back, an Irish Masters medal was amazing. When Patsy mentioned European and World, I was wondering where he was going. To get two bronze medals was just amazing.”
Listen to the full interview …
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