Athletics awards for Michael Harty, Reece Ademola, Niamh Allen and Fiona Everard
Eoghan Dinan, The Echo, presenting the October award to Michael Harty, East Cork AC, also included are, Hannah Gahan, C103 FM, Ray Shanahan, Chairman Cork City Sports, Frank Walley, President Cork City Sports and Grace Lynch, 96FM, at The River Lee Hotel, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Four athletes, including two – Fiona Everard and Niamh Allen – who will be representing Ireland at the World Cross-Country in Tallahessee, Florida, in a couple of weeks, are the latest to be honoured with the Cork City Sports Athletics Person of the Month awards.
Just a week after her brilliant 10th place at the European cross-country championships, Bandon athlete Everard received her award for the month of November. In the space of a few weeks, the 27-year-old won both the autumn open international in Dublin and national championship which that took place in trying and testing conditions in Derry.
Twice winner of this prestigious monthly honour in the past, the Enniskeane native was also the overall yearly Cork City Sports winner in 2024. Although unable to attend the ceremony in the River Lee hotel due to training commitments, she was represented by her parents Martin and Denise, both still overjoyed by their daughter’s performance in Portugal.
In a phone call at the ceremony just after an eight-mile training run in the wind and rain, Everard said she was really looking forward to what will be her first trip to the United States: “I’m looking forward to it, although I don’t know how much of it we’ll actually see.
“The 10km distance there will probably be more to my liking; I believe the course is meant to be soft and flat but the extra distance will no doubt suit me.
Everard returns to the world stage having finished 60th in the senior women’s race at the 2024 championships in Belgrade. She will have company on the journey as Allen from Leevale, second to her in Derry, is also part of the small Irish team.
In what has been a remarkable year for the Blackrock Road native, Allen was honoured for her clear victory at the 44th edition of the Echo Mini-Marathon in September. On that occasion, she took the lead from the start and was never headed, crossing the line outside Kennedy Park in a time of 19:09 for the 6km distance.
Some of her other standout performances during 2025 include a 52:51 10-mile course record in Dungarvan, along with national titles at 10km on the road and 5000m on the track.
“It’s great to win here at home,” said the 30-year-old after her Mini-Marathon victory. “I’m originally from the Blackrock Road so I do a lot of my running around here. I wasn’t interested in time today, winning the race was what it was all about so I’m delighted.”
The October recipient was Michael Harty from the East Cork club. In a thrilling contest at Carrigadrohid, near Macroom, Harty made it three wins in four years when taking the premier event on the Cork cross-country calendar.
He used all of his experience to pull away from his challengers over the last two hundred metres of the race and just two days before his 45th birthday he became the oldest winner in the 102 year history of this championship.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Cloyne-man said he was delighted to again receive this award. “The first was in 2015 and to be back here 10 years later is something I wouldn’t have expected back then. It’s an award that is a honour and privilege to receive and I would put a lot of weight on getting it again.”
Reverting back to August, the winner for that month was Reece Ademola of Leevale. Still only 23, Ademola secured his third consecutive long jump victory at the national senior track and field championships at Morton Stadium.
He is also the Irish record holder for both the U20 and U23 age-groups in the long jump.
The Cork City Sports Athletics Person of the Month and Yearly Awards are sponsored by the River Lee, 96&C103FM, The Echo, Cork Crystal and Leisureworld.
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