FOR some, Christmas means mistletoe and wine. For others it’s about getting over the finish line.
2024 has been a busy one… actually that’s an understatement! You just have to look at what has been achieved by our sporting kings and queens over the past 12 months and you get the idea.
Recently, Lady Mary Peters celebrated the sporting success of our local athletes at her annual Christmas Sport Inspires lunch. It’s always a highlight in the calendar and this year was extra special as our Olympic heroes were in attendance.
Hannah Scott had the privilege of becoming the first female to win gold since Mary back in 1972 in Paris this summer. She was first on the stage at the Europa Hotel (which was stunningly decorated for Christmas I have to say!) and she was is still beaming from the Olympic Games.
She talked of how, growing up, her dad used to tell her that Mary Peters was the last lady to win an individual gold so she has worked hard for all these years to be the next. That dream came true. The Quadruple Sculls GB crew passed the Netherlands in the very last stroke to clinch the gold medals and leave us on the edge of our seats. Hannah spoke of the mental strength needed to get to such a place and it reminded me of another Coleraine rower, Alan Campbell.
Alan won bronze at the 2012 Olympics and became the first sports person from Northern Ireland to compete at four Olympics when he went to Rio in 2016.
I interviewed Alan in the build up to the 2012 Olympics for UTV and was blown away by him. Not only was he such a gentleman, he had the most winning mentality I’d ever come across.
Having won three World Championships in a sport with the finest of margins, he’s a man who knows what it takes to get to the top.
He told me how he would do things that others wouldn’t do just to have even the smallest advantage physiologically possible over his opponents. He used to spend Christmas morning running up the sand dunes in Portrush. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever done hill sprints but they are hard enough at the best of times never mind sprinting up a hill of sand!
It remains to this day one of my favourite interviews I’ve done for UTV. And hearing Hannah Scott and her fellow medal winning rowers, Rebecca Shorten (silver) and Philip Doyle (bronze) on stage talking about what it takes to win an Olympic medal made me reminisce.
At the Sport Inspires lunch with Dame Kelly Holmes, Lady Mary Peters, Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill and Carl Frampton
As they were chatting I glanced down to Mary and her smile was as big as it was on the day Hannah won her gold. As you can imagine she was contacted by every media company in Northern Ireland the day her record was broken and she very kindly flew across town to come into the UTV studio that evening. She was ecstatic.
Beaming from ear to ear her infectious smile said it all. This is a champion who has championed other champions. She’s dedicated her life from that pentathlon gold in Munich in 72 to helping others. Her Trust does an incredible work which we won’t see the likes of again and, as the rewards unfolded before her at this summer’s Olympics, she could not be happier.
Mary’s lunch was the perfect way to round off a busy November which had seen Northern Ireland’s footballers top their Nations Group and gain promotion to league B of the competition. The tournament hasn’t been kind to them in the past, having failed to pick up a single win before this year, but, at the fourth time of asking and with a youthful side, the resurgence of the team during Michael O’Neill’s second reign as boss continues.
He was also in attendance at the Europa event and was genuinely excited talking about the future of the team with Conor Bradley and co. already making strides. Armagh GAA’s Chairman Paul McArdle was there with the ‘real’ Sam Maguire, which has a better social life than Pamela Ballentine (who also added glamour and fun to the day!)
Paul McArdle spoke of the special relationship the All Ireland winning Orchard County has with its fans and how that contributed to their success this year. Carl Frampton talked about his new career as a football coach with his daughter’s team and, last but not least, we had good friends Lady Mary and Dame Kelly Holmes reflecting on years of friendship and success.
The same night in Dublin, Ireland rugby celebrated its 150th anniversary with 16,000 guests in attendance. The star studded night included interviews with past captain Brian O’Driscoll and Fiona Caughlan. Johnny Sexton, Rory Best and Andy Farrell also spoke from the stage. Phil Coulter played piano and the room was packed with past internationals from down through the years.
The weekend was capped off by a hard fought win over former coach Joe Schmidt’s Australia at the Aviva Stadium the next day. “Three out of four ain’t bad” summed up the autumn series for Ireland with improvements expected before the Six Nations begins in February.
November was extra busy with the women’s Euro 2025 play offs – both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland missed out on a chance to be there by falling at the final hurdle but both can be very proud of their efforts.
I also had the privilege of covering Larne FC in the Europa Conference League this year for UTV, an historic achievement and all at the club deserve huge credit.
Our sports personalities should all raise a glass this Christmas… you’ve given us so much to cheer about and made memories that will last a lifetime. Enjoy the festive break, you’ve earned it!
With colleague Sinead Kissane at the Irish Rugby 150th anniversary celebration
In Slovenia, covering Larne’s European Conference League adventure for UTV
And, finally, remembering the great Ken Reid who we sadly said goodbye to in November – it was a privilege to work with him
