Olive Loughnane

World race-walking silver medallist, Olive Loughnane was crowned The Irish Times/Irish Sports Council ‘Sportswoman of the Year 2009’ today for her performance at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin earlier this year.

The 33- year-old was presented with her award by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Martin Cullen at a gala awards ceremony in Dublin where 14 other sport stars were recognised for their outstanding achievements throughout the year.

Loughnane took the silver medal in the 20 km walking competition, finishing just 49 seconds behind defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Olga Kaniskina of Russia, who won in one hour, 28 minutes and nine seconds. Olive is only the fourth Irish athlete ever to have won a World Championship medal, joining Eamonn Coghlan (gold in 1983), Sonia O’Sullivan (silver in 1993 and gold in 1995) and Gillian O’Sullivan (silver in 2003), also in the 20 km walk.

Personal Best
5000 Metres Race Walk  21:03.45  Dublin 01/08/2009
10 Kilometres Race Walk  43:22  Saransk 19/09/2009
20 Kilometres Race Walk  1:27:45  Beijing (National Stadium) 21/08/2008

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
20 Kilometres Race Walk
12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics  2 f 1:28:58  Berlin 16/08/2009
The XXIX Olympic Games  7 f 1:27:45  Beijing (National Stadium) 21/08/2008
23rd IAAF World Race Walking Cup  6 f 1:29:17  Cheboksary 11/05/2008
11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics  17 f 1:36:00  Osaka 31/08/2007
9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics  12 f 1:30:53  Paris Saint-Denis 24/08/2003
5th European Cup of Race Walking  8 f 1:30:29  Cheboksary 18/05/2003

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