Hession bags top athlete award
Galway’s Paul Hession was named Athlete of the Year at tonight’s National Athletics Awards in Dublin.
Hession’s award completes what was a stunning season for the Athenry Athlete.
Hession’s performances in Beijing, reaching the semi final of the 200m, confirmed his status as one of the world’s top sprinters.
Next year should prove to be exciting as he bids to go one better by making a global final at the World Track and Field Championships in Berlin.
Hession also picked up the Track Athlete of the Year.
Brian Gregan, one of athletics bright young hopes for London 2012 was named Junior Athlete of the Year.
The Tallaght athlete had a superb season breaking the Irish record and coming fifth in the World Junior Championships, but was unlucky to be later disqualified for a slight lane infringement.
The Hall of Fame Award went to “Chairman of the Boards”, Eamonn Coghlan.
Coghlan is still the only male Irish athlete to win a World Track title following his 5000m success in Helsinki.
One of Ireland’s most famous ever athletes, he is still the only Master athlete to run a sub-four minute mile and is the second member to join the Hall of Fame after Ronnie Delany last year.
