Ciarán Ó Lionáird

Ciarán Ó Lionáird (born 11 April 1988) is an Irish runner from Cork.[1] He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 1500 metres.[2] At the 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships in March, he came 3rd in the Men's 3000 metres.[3][4] Following the COVID-19 lockdown, he announced he was coming out of retirement, and his intention to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.[5]

Ciarán Ó Lionáird
Ciarán Ó Lionáird (second from left) at the 2013 European Indoor Championships
Personal information
NationalityIrish
Born (1988-04-11) April 11, 1988
Cork, Ireland
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight137 lb (62 kg)
Websitewww.ciaranolionaird.com
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)Middle-distance running
College teamMichigan Wolverines '09,
Florida State Seminoles '11
ClubNike Oregon Track Club Elite
Turned pro2011
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)1500 m: 3:34.46

1 Mile: 3:52.10
3000 m: 7:50.40

5000 m: 13:33
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Ireland
European Indoor Championships
Bronze medal – third place2013 Göteborg3000 m

Early years

Ciaran grew up just outside Macroom, County Cork, Ireland. He attended De La Salle College, Macroom, where he was an Irish Schools 1500 metre champion.[6] Ciaran first took up running at age 7 with West Muskerry AC,[7] but at age 12 joined Leevale to become coached by Der O'Donovan. It was at Leevale that Ciaran improved his times and ran an Irish Youths indoor record of 3:50 at age 16.[8] He went on to win a bronze medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Lignano in 2005 as well as taking 10th place in the World Youth Championships, both over the metric mile.[9]

NCAA

In 2006, having finished school, Ciaran decided to take up a scholarship at the University of Michigan under Coach Ron Warhurst where he earned Academic All-Big Ten Conference three years in 2006, 2007 and 2008.[10] After numerous season-ending injuries (osteitis pubis, L5 disc herniation, hip bursitis) he decided to transfer to Florida State University in 2009. A recurrence of Ciaran’s back disc injury in 2010 led to 6 months on the sidelines and with surgery imminent, he thought his running career might well be over.[11] However, he battled through a summer of intense therapy and came back in the Autumn of 2010 to become All American at the NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship.[12]

Post College

At the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, Ciaran qualified through a tactical first round[13] - tactical meaning slower than qualifying time of 3:36 pace for early part of the race where strategy of moving faster in latter parts of the race can be used to improve finish order. Ciaran ran 3:36 in the semi-final to qualify for the IAAF World championship final in his first Major Championship appearance.[14] In the final of 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres, he placed 10th.[15] Ciaran O'Lionaird of Ireland ran 3:50.12 at 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 1500 metres and placed 22nd. The 2011 World Championship provided him with valuable experience ahead of the London Olympics in 2012.[16] Ciaran did not advance to semi-final at Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres.[17] Ciarán O'Lionáird of Ireland ran 7:50.40 at 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's 3000 metres earned a bronze medal. Ciarán Ó Lionáird ran 3:39.79 at 2014 European Athletics Championships – Men's 1500 metres to advance to the final.

References
  1. "Athlete Profiles: Ciaran O'Lionaird". RTÉ. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  2. "Profile London 2012". London 2012 Official Site. 31 July 2012. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  3. "Bronze delight for Ó Lionáird". Irish Examiner. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  4. "Ciaran O'Lionaird takes bronze for Ireland in Gothenburg". Irish Independent. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  5. "Grateful dead: how the lockdown resurrected an Irish Olympic runner". Archived from the original on 3 October 2020.
  6. "Ciaran O'Lionaird University of Michigan track and field biography (2010)". mgoblue.com. University of Michigan Wolverines. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  7. "Ciaran O'Lionaird U15 track and field record". athleticsireland.ie. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  8. "Interviews with Ciarán Ó Lionáird – Leevale Athletic Club, Cork, Ireland". leevale.org. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. "2005 European Youth Olympic Festival". Athletics Ireland. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  10. "Florida State University Ciarán Ó Lionáird biography". seminoles.com. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  11. "Florida State University Ciarán Ó Lionáird Back From the Brink". Runner's World. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  12. "Florida State University 2011 NCAA Cross Country Almanac" (PDF). Florida State University. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  13. "first round results - 1500 METRES MEN 13TH IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ATHLETICS KOREA DAEGU (DS), KOREA 27 AUG 2011 - 04 SEP 2011". IAAF. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  14. "Semi-final round results - 1500 METRES MEN 13TH IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ATHLETICS KOREA DAEGU (DS), KOREA 27 AUG 2011 - 04 SEP 2011". IAAF. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  15. "Final round results - 1500 METRES MEN 13TH IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ATHLETICS KOREA DAEGU (DS), KOREA 27 AUG 2011 - 04 SEP 2011". IAAF. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  16. "Athlete Q&A – Ciaran O'Lionaird". The Running Review. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  17. "First round results - 1500 METRES MEN London Olympics Track and Field". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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