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Athletics Board

Beijing Diary Number 6

Last day in Japan. Training complete for today. Just had a table quiz and now rattle out a few thoughts before heading tomorrow morning to the big Smoke -- Beijing.

This was an interesting day that went something like this. The morning session was going to be about 400m runner, Joanne Cuddihy, struggling with injuries for months really. She was going to have a full blown 300m paced by 800m athlete Thomas Chamney and therein would be the answer re:going to the start line. Nervey stuff. She is on the line ... the phone rings ... it's Brendan Mooney of the Examiner enquiring after Joanne's fitness. My answer, "just hold it there on the line and I'll give you the answer in less than a minute ". She attacks, maintains momentum, holds it together and does the business. So Brendan she's in one piece, she starts the race in the Birds nest or as someone else referred to it as the Crows Nest. She is on the plane tomorrow. Delighted for her, its a shame she has lost so much real training time but has cross trained continuously without any indication of frustration from her.

The afternoon session was noteworthy for 2 things. Alistair Cragg who doubles up in both the 1500m and 5k hit out 10 x 200m in 26 seconds low with 90 secs recovery. His head is in a good place just now. Let's pray we can hold the picture for another week. Then there was Derval O Rourke needing to get over the 8 hurdles in aggressive style twice to satisfy her and those anxiously watching. Job done, so the injury situation has as the few lines outlined here indicated improved.

Everybody else in good spirits, unbelievable session and impressive from Paul Hession yesterday. Head down, just let the days roll in. Have decided not to call a general team meeting simply work it one-on-one through the programme. Keep it simple and steady as we go.

Heading into a village that will have changed in a week and will continue to change daily as competition ends for many and while they party we must continue to stay on the focus we have engendered over the past weeks. The morale in the Irish camp will at this point be mixed dependent totally on specific sport results. Have picked up on some of the national media over the weekend. The problem always with the olympics and no doubt this Games will be no different is the media who jump on board chasing the negative story. The same media that generally do not take a bit of interest in your sport in the interim four years. And then there is the guys that report week in week out through the good days and bad days around the globe. Hence the contrast in attitude as you watch the reaction over the period. Hopefully we can provide positive stories. Certainly these athletes have left no stone unturned to do everyone proud.

Heading to bed right now and will arrive Beijing 2200hrs local time tomorrow night. Delighted to be getting on with it. Further updates from inside the village and from the stadium in the days ahead and yes I have seen the result, Harps beating Shamrock Rovers. Good stuff. Have supplied a photo of an occassion when I was obviously under pressure many years ago but tonight I am calm in the knowledge that we could not really have done more to produce performances in these Games. It's been a daily exercise. Let's rush to the start line now.

Patsy Mc Gonagle
Senior/Olympic team manager
Athletics Ireland
0872226112
http://www.finnvalleyac.com

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Pictures.


Patsy, 1980s Glasgow, Under Pressure?