NORTH Down athlete Rachel McCann’s Olympic dream has become reality with her selection on the final confirmed Ireland athletics team, bound for Paris later this month.
Rachel will be the only Northern Ireland-based female athlete set to compete at this year’s Games with none on the GB team. She joins previously confirmed heptathlete Kate O’Connor and massive medal hope Ciara Mageean in the Ireland squad. Though Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kate is originally from Newry, she competes for the Dundalk St Gerard’s club, while reigning European 1500m champion Ciara, from Portaferry, is Manchester-based.
Rachel will compete in the 400m relay. A pharmaceutical student in her final year at Queen’s University, her selection reflects her hard work and performances, particularly in the last few months leading up to qualification.
Rachel, who is coached by Michael Roberts and works in the gym with Amy Foster, was recently the top individual prize winner at the Queen’s University Blues Awards.
Competing for Queen’s, North Down AC and Ireland, Rachel was selected as a worthy winner for her dedication and commitment to both her studies and sporting endeavours.
Those qualities have now resulted in her achieving her Olympic ambition and she recognised the role of the university in helping her balance the challenges of competing at such a high level and balancing important final year exams
“Queen’s Sport have been really involved in ensuring that I can compete at a high level whilst completing my final year,” she said.
“It has been difficult and without their support, I simply wouldn’t have been able to do it. For example, they moved my research project deadline two weeks to allow me to compete at the World Indoor Championships and then I also got to move my exams to a different date to let me compete at the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas.
“Without that support, I just I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”
