Georgia Bell’s Mayo heritage fuels Olympic bronze medal victory

FAMILY bonds are stronger than nationality. Georgia Bell’s story is proof of that statement. Bell might have been born in Paris to English parents and won an Olympic bronze medal for Great Britain in the 1,500m race last week, but she has Irish blood running through her veins.

Her grandmother Mary Frain (née Gallagher) is from Swinford and her grandfather Henry Frain from Charlestown.

Naturally, her whole family has been following Georgia’s career closely.

Her cousin, Angie Haran, from Charlestown would under no circumstance be deterred from watching Georgia Bell’s Olympic final last week.

“I was at a wedding in Kildare,” Angie told The Mayo News. “I watched the race at the bar just before the speeches. and I had these random people with me, that I had never met before but by the time Georgia was running, we were all shouting at the telly. And when Georgia finished with a medal we were all jumping up and down, hugging each other.”

Of course, back in Mayo, family members were following the events in Paris closely, including her 98-year-old Granny Mary, who watched the whole thing with great excitement from her living room.

“The whole family is on an absolute high, we enjoyed watching her, seeing her journey, she is very humble, we are proud to call her family” added Angie, still beaming with joy.

Perhaps the celebrations are a bit more elated in Georgia Bell’s case because her career was practically finished a few years ago.

When she moved to the United States, the pressure got to her body and she did not feel like continuing her running career any more.

After moving back to London, the Covid pandemic happened and, in its aftermath, she started running again in March 2022, quickly realising that she still had it in her.

Fifteen months later she is on the podium in Paris - a remarkable achievement.

“And she could have won silver”, her cousin Angie noted. “Another five metres and she would have made it.”
The Olympic final was just the climax in a quick succession of events.

“Everyone was so excited the last couple of weeks, she qualified quite late.”

Before her Olympic race Georgia Bell said in an interview with The Athletic: “I was born in Paris so it’s meant to be.”

Given her Mayo heritage, it would only be fitting if the bronze medal finds its way to Mayo some time.

Read about the rest of Mayo's Olympians in tomorrow's Mayo News.