This morning marked a special occasion for Letterkenny parkrun as they hosted their 100th event.
The event was officially launched by Donegal Olympians Danny McDaid and Sinead Jennings.
Committee member Brendan Delap tells Donegal Daily that it was an honour for Letterkenny parkrun to host Danny and Sinead this morning.
“The remarkable achievement of making it to the Olympics should not be forgotten and is related in some way to the achievements of those who have participated in many of the Letterkenny parkruns to date.
“Many have started out walking and have now taken to running the course while others are content to continue walking. The walkers are a very important group in all parkrun 5ks. A good few people have after a lapse of some years from any activity have entered the spirit of parkrun and are now avid supporters.
“Letterkenny parkrun is very grateful to Danny and Sinead for giving of their time to mark this special occasion,” he said.
With the new year just around the corner, why not take up a healthy habit by joining Letterkenny parkrun? Every Saturday morning at 9:30am, walkers, joggers, fun runners, and elite runners alike come together to take part in this free 5k.
In keeping with the spirit of reflection prevalent at this time of year, Brendan looked back on the achievements of other great Donegal athletes, and shared his roll of honour with Donegal Daily:
Danny McDaid
Danny McDaid is a 2-time Irish Olympic athlete Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976 and four times national marathon champion.
He took part in nine World Cross Country Championships the first of which was in 1969. He finished 11th in Limerick in 1979 when John Treacy lifted the world title for Ireland. He was captain of the Irish Senior Cross Country team from 1975 to 1981. The running track at the Aura Leisure Centre is named in his honour. The Danny McDaid 15k, which begins and concludes at this track, is also named after him.
Danny has a Marathon Time of 2 hours and 13 mins. He set a time of 14.06 for 5k in the Inter Firms –a record that stands to this day. He has a P.B. of 13.46 for 5000m on the track. A truly outstanding athlete.
Sinéad Lynch
Sinéad Lynch (Jennings) Letterkenny is an Irish rower. In August 2015 she was a member of the lightweight women’s double scull which qualified the boat for the Rio Olympics.
Sinead Lynch and her rowing partner Claire Lambe reached the finals at the Women’s Lightweight Sculls.
World Rowing Championship 2000 Bronze Medal– -Single sculls.
World Rowing Championships 2008 Silver Medal — -Single Sculls.
First ever Irish Women’s Gold Medal for Single Sculls World Rowing Championships Lucerne 2001.
Caitriona Jennings
Caitriona Jennings, sister of Sinead, was selected for the 2012 Olympic Marathon in London and is a very successful long distance athlete. For the second year-in-a-row, Caitriona Jennings took a silver medal in the National Women’s category in the Dublin Marathon. Two Olympic athletes from one family is incredible . We have an apology from Caitriona who cannot attend but requested that Sinead represent the both of them.
Mark English
He represented Ireland at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. At the 2014 European Athletics Championships English won a bronze medal in the 800 metres event. On 8 March at the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Prague Mark English won a silver medal.
In 2014, English finished 2nd at the Adidas Grand Prix as part of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League. English finished 4th at the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup, representing Team Europe.
Chloe Magee
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chloe became the first ever Irish woman to win a badminton match at the Olympics.
Three Olympics Games: 2008,2012 and 2016. Bronze Medals 2015 and 2016 European Championships Mixed Doubles with brother Sam.
Philip Deignan
Cyclist Philip Deignan, who qualified to represent Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In September 2009 he achieved his first grand tour stage victory, on stage 18 of the Vuelta a España into Avila, after a 2-man battle with the Czech Roman Kreuziger. By finishing 10 minutes clear of the peloton he climbed to 9th in the general classification. He became the first Irishman to win a stage on a Grand Tour since Stephen Roche’s last-stage success at the Tour de France in 1992.
Brendan Boyce
Apologies were received from Brendan Boyce our Olympic Walker who is in Australia and unable to attend. As there is a big emphasis on the walkers taking part in parkrun it was disappointing that Brendan could not make it.
2012 Olympic Games: London 50k Walk – 29 th 3.55.01
2016 Olympic Games: Rio, Brazil 50k Walk – 19 th 3.53.59
Amongst numerous good performances, he finished 4th in the 50k walk 3:49:49 in The European Race Walking Cup 2017 in the Czech Republic.
Photography by Mary Conway
