Hard work pays off for mighty Quinn

IN FULL FLIGHT Ireland’s Sarah Quinn, right, is pictured competing in the 4x200 metre final during the IAAF World Athletics Relays in Chorzow, Poland on Sunday evening. Pic: Sportsfile


Feature
Mike Finnerty

WATCHING their daughter run for Ireland and help the nation’s 4x200m women’s relay team to win silver medals at the IAAF World Athletics Relays Finals in Poland last Sunday evening was an emotional rollercoaster for Assumpta and TJ Quinn.
The well-known Ballinrobe couple were ‘absolutely exhausted’ after watching Sarah run a brilliant third leg of the relay race before passing the baton to Sophie Becker who secured second place for Ireland behind Poland, setting a new national record in the process.
Speaking to The Mayo News last night, Sarah Quinn’s proud mother, Assumpta, said they were ‘delighted’ to see ‘years of dedication’ pay off for the 22 year-old athletics star.
“This is huge for Sarah. She’s been plugging away since the Under-8s in the Community Games in ‘The Lough’ here in Ballinrobe so we were delighted to see her achieve something like this.
“It’s taken years of dedication, six and seven days a week for the last four or five years.
“But she’s very hard-working and focussed and this will be a stepping stone to where she wants to get — for the likes of the Olympics and the World Championships.  
“It was like waiting for an All-Ireland to start all day on Sunday,” explained Assumpta, who is a sister of former Mayo footballers, Noel and Ray Connelly from Hollymount.
“We were just walking around all day, feeling half-sick and so nervous, knowing that it all comes down to one minute. All that training and all that hard work for one minute.
“I was just thinking, ‘I hope she’s ready’, ‘I hope she doesn’t break too soon’.
“But as long as she did her best we were going to be happy.
“I knew when Sarah got the baton that Ireland were in a great position. Because I knew she wouldn’t let the girl beside her pass her. Sarah is a great competitor, she’s like a terrier.”
Sarah Quinn is a member of St Colman’s South Mayo AC in Claremorris, and a specialist 60m/100m hurdler and 100m sprinter. She is also a final year student in Global Commerce at NUI, Galway and has dedicated ‘her life’ to her chosen sport in recent years.
“It’s a mixture of diet, exercise and sleep,” said her mum. “When you’re in training for something like this it’s your life. She’s in her final year college as well so they have been her main focus for the last 12 months really. Apart from maybe going for a swim in the lake or going to Westport for a swim in the sea, or meeting her friends.
“She broke into the Irish Under-23s two years ago and that was a huge step-up.
“She competed well and improved her times every time she ran. And that’s as good as it gets really because when you’re running you’re competing against yourself.
“It’s a big achievement to qualify for any World finals, regardless of the sport you’re competing in.
“This is testament to all the volunteers, coaches and teachers who helped her from the Under-8s in the Community Games all the way up, and gave of their time to work with her.”
The multi-talented Sarah was a ballet dancer for 14 years and can also be found helping her dad in the family’s ‘Petals and Buds’ flower shop on Main Street in Ballinrobe on most Saturdays.
But it is on the athletics track that she has really flourished, finishing second in the National Senior 100m hurdles and winning gold in the 60m hurdles final at the National Senior Indoor Athletics championships last year.
Her mother, Assumpta, spoke to Sarah after Sunday evening’s race and said she was ‘delighted’ and ‘just so happy’.
Just like her parents, who have been inundated with well-wishes since the race ended.
“We thought of people like TJ’s late mum and dad [Mary and Jim Quinn] who would have been so proud. They were great supporters of all the grand-children and they loved athletics.
“Jim was a former member of the first athletics club that was established in Claremorris and involved in the track being developed there.
“So many people have been in contact with us since the race, it’s fabulous to see what it does for people and the lift it’s given people,” she added.
“Hopefully it will encourage kids around the area to take up athletics, and show them that if you work hard enough and follow your dreams then it is achievable.
“What I’d say to parents is, if you have a child that’s interested in athletics, or in any sport, make sure it’s their goal and not your goal. Leave training to the trainers. Listen, encourage and drive. That’s all you can do, encourage their own ambitions.”