Irish record holder athlete visits Mayo friends and family

She honoured her Mayo connections.

European Indoor 3000m champion and Irish 1500m record holder Sarah Healy was in Ballina in recent days to visit family and kindly agreed to meet athletes from Moy Valley AC.

Sarah recalled her own growth in the sport from the age of nine right through to her current training as a professional athlete with the M11 track club based in Manchester.

She also recalled her visits to Ballina as a child including runs in Belleek Woods - a place we can access everyday if we can.

Club athletes, parents and coaches had an opportunity to ask Sarah questions and to consider her advice.

The Glasgow Kennedy Centre at the Quay in Ballina was full as a captive audience of athletes, parents, coaches hung on every word and were eager to get autographs signed and pictures taken afterwards.

Club members and relatives of Sarah, Eve and Cillian McHale, made a presentation to Sarah in appreciation of her meeting with the club.

She received a print of the iconic Dún Briste at Downpatrick Head as well as a mug detailed with the main landmarks in Ballina.

Club officials were extremely grateful to Sarah for her time and her words of advice to athletes of all ages and further thanks to her cousin Éanna McHale for organising her visit. Everyone left the event inspired.