Two of Ireland's top athletes are honoured by the Cork City Sports for their recent victories

TWO of the country’s most promising young athletes are the latest to receive Cork City Sports Athletics Person of the Month awards, both for performances achieved on the European stage.

James Ezeonu from the Leevale club is the June recipient when, on the 21st of the month, he recorded a much-needed win for Ireland at the European Team Championships in Poland. 

His victory there over the 110m hurdles helped the Irish team to secure top position in their division, thereby gaining promotion to Division Two for the next edition of this completion.

This followed on from a stellar breakthrough season at the hurdles while on an athletic scholarship at Iowa State University. 

Outdoors, he posted the eighth-fastest hurdles time in the history of the college when clocking 14.08 to win the event at Ames, Iowa, back in May.

This time moved Ezeonu, who recently celebrated his 19th birthday, to ninth on the Irish all-time list. 

Speaking at the award ceremony, he looked back at his winning performance for Ireland in Poland.

“It was my first senior international, so it was a great experience. To go out there and put 10 points on the board and win my event, I was pretty happy with that.

“Being on scholarship at Iowa State has given a lot of exposure in terms of competition wise. It has also enabled me to know what I really want in the sport.” 

 On his return, Ezeonu’s form continued, culminating in a brilliant gold medal performance at the 123.ie Irish Senior Championships at Santry. 

One of a number of Leevale winners, he edged out Gerard O’Donnell from Carrick-on-Shannon by the narrowest of margins to take the 110m title in 14.28 ahead of O’Donnell’s 14.29.

With a finish so reminiscent of her mother Sonia’s glory days, Sophie O’Sullivan’s brilliant victory at the European U23 championships at Espoo in Finland saw her receiving the Cork City Sports award for July.

There, the Ballymore-Cobh athlete won gold in a personal best of 4:07.18, overtaking long-term leader Sarah Healy on the final bend to give Ireland a fabulous one-two medal double.

Healy came in as one of the top-ranked women in Europe and she led for nearly the full race, with O'Sullivan back in third or fourth. 

As the pace picked up on the final lap, O'Sullivan made her move around Healy on the turn into the homestretch and was able to hold her off.

“The win meant a lot to me, it was really special,” said O’Sullivan at the awards ceremony. 

“I didn’t actually know until afterwards that it was the first Irish win at that level so it was great to have two medals for Sarah and myself.” 

 It has been a remarkable year so far for O'Sullivan, 21, who has seen massive progress over the 1500m distance. 

The former European U18 800m silver-medallist from 2018 had a personal best of 4.17.54 from last year at the start of the season but went on to better that on four occasions.

She is now ranked seventh on the Irish all-time list. 

Her mother Sonia is second as one of only two Irish women who have broken four minutes. 

Sonia's best of 3.58.85 came in 1995 and was only bettered by Ciara Mageean who ran 3.56.63 at a Diamond League meet in Brussels last year.

Both O’Sullivan and Healy then went head-to-head again at the 123.ie National Championships. 

Billed as the race of the day, it didn’t disappoint. Ultimately it was Healy who produced a final finishing surge to claim her third outdoor 1500m title in a time of 4:11.39. 

O’Sullivan recorded 4:12.00 to all but secure her place at the upcoming World Championships in Budapest.

“Sarah is a great competitor and she ran a great race, I gave it all I had but it wasn’t enough this time. 

"That’s all right, there will be more national championships to come and I’m sure I’ll have more great races in the future.” 

 The Cork City Sports Athletics Person of the Month Awards are sponsored by the River Lee, 96&C103FM, The Echo, Cork Crystal and Leisureworld.