Ian O'Riordan
@ianoriordan
Followers
10K
Following
28K
Media
3K
Statuses
12K
Athletics Correspondent @IrishTimesSport; son of the runner, mother from the mountain.
Joined April 2015
Still taking stock of this. Nick Griggs is only 16. He blitzed the best Under-20’s in Europe. Tactically he didn’t put a foot wrong. His older brother Joshua died tragically in a car accident last month. Fourth gold medal for Ireland in two days.
22
163
4K
Confirmed: we are currently the best small Olympics nation in the entire world @IrishTimesSport
21
247
2K
At 4.30 yesterday afternoon, that sacred time in our house when we would go for a run, our father Tom set off on his last lap of the track. Heartfelt thanks for the words of strength because that his strength was unbelievable.
143
35
2K
The legendary Fionnuala McCormack, first Irish woman to compete in five Olympics…
16
60
2K
The winner of the US Open gets $2,250,000 after four rounds of golf. If Sam Bennett wins the green jersey after a three-week bike race around France he gets €25,000. Just saying.
98
117
1K
Fifth best in Europe, at age 19, running 50.53, from lane one, in her 49th race this season, breaking her own Irish record, and she’s a little disappointed. The class that is Rhasidat Adeleke
12
32
1K
The first and only Irish athlete to win a medal of any colour in any outdoor global sprint event is Bob Tisdall, gold in the 400m hurdles, back in the 1932 Olympics in LA. That is how rare they are. @rhasidatadeleke has that rare chance tomorrow night.
63
83
1K
A first Diamond League victory for Rhasidat Adeleke, an excellent dress rehearsal for Paris.
8
76
1K
Sharlene Mawdsley does it again, moving Ireland into second on the anchor leg to secure automatic qualification for the World Championships in Tokyo.
4
26
1K
First spin of the year beyond 5km this evening: some places never change
26
30
995
Only 57 years after my dad ran here, inside the Tokyo Olympic Stadium. Empty, but magnificent.
23
22
940
This is how you defend your World Championship title. Devastatingly good indeed by @McClenaghanRhys
9
50
882
My Grandfather Jack O'Riordan on his tractor farm in Tubrid, north Kerry. He died 40 years ago this week. In 1957 he sold two of his prized cattle so that his son Tom could pay the airfare to attend Idaho State University on a running scholarship.
24
64
847
Another stunning anchor leg by Sharlene Mawdsley and the Irish women’s 4x400m book their ticket to Tokyo…
8
31
888
. 3:56.40 indoor mile at age 17, fastest ever European under the age of 20. @nickgriggs4321 does it again
10
63
812
Dublin Marathon days of days: Hiko Tonosa runs fastest marathon by an Irishman ever to finish third in 2:09:42.
100
26
665
It's gold for Daniel Wiffen in Doha, the first ever World Championship long course medal won by an Irish swimmer. #sportinghistory
13
58
676
A lasting tribute I suspect Jerry would be most proud of.
25
67
672
Ireland's fastest man is joining the Florida training group of the Olympic 100 metres champion. A great opportunity for Israel Olatunde to learn from Noah Lyles, among others, having just lowered his own Irish record to 10.12 seconds last Sunday.
13
26
647
Wow! 2:09:49 by @scullion262 in the London Marathon. Only second Irish man under 2:10, fastest ever on record certified course.
10
43
624
The moment Daniel Wiffen first embraces his family as Olympic champion,
2
23
661
Ciara Mageean nails second in Diamond League 1,500m final in Zurich behind arguably the best of all time, Faith Kipyegon from Kenya.
2
38
600
The two fastest European women’s 400m times this century are Natalia Kaczmarek’s 48.98 and Rhasidat Adeleke’s 49.07 run in Rome tonight.
6
31
609
3:56.63 for Ciara Mageean in Brussels. Massive win and hammers Irish 1,500m record.
18
7
582
Flat on their backs… some silver medal run by Ciara Mageean
9
15
589
5,000m run around Tokyo this morning, 57 years after my dad ran here @Tokyo2020 @SanctuaryRunDub
4
15
564
When Efrem Gidey arrived in Ireland five years ago he had zero English and extremely low literacy. My younger brother was one of his first teachers at Spirasi in Dublin and often recalls his patience and strong willingness to learn. His running career has made similar strides.
6
15
555
Privileged to witness this: what @rhasidatadeleke is achieving on the American college stage is unprecedented by any Irish athlete in any sport.
12
47
550
Was Rhasidat Adeleke unfairly denied an Olympic bronze medal in Paris? .(Highly likely yes).
49
33
570
57 years ago my dad ran the heats of the 5,000 metres at the 1964 Olympics. 57 years later the heats are about to get underway again @Tokyo2020
10
21
564
Rhasidat Adeleke drops down to 200m, runs 22.35 in lane eight. Just .01 off her Irish record. Next stop Paris.
16
9
551
Ninth place for Fionnuala McCormack finishes ninth, seven days after running a 2:23 marathon. Team finishes fourth
4
23
512
Top 10 athletics nations in Europe right now isn’t bad.
8
27
487
Look at this….
The women’s 100m at the Texas Invitational. Wind +3.5.1st - Rhasidat Adeleke 🇮🇪 10.84.2nd - Celera Barnes 🇺🇸 10.94.3rd - Dina Asher-Smith 🇬🇧 11.10.4th - Julien Alfred 🇱🇨 11.15 . 🎥 Track: All-Access (YouTube)
17
33
488
Gold medal for Rhys McClenaghan, a first ever Olympic medal in gymnastics for Ireland
4
10
489
Not long now: almost 11 years after the original Belfield track was deemed unsafe and ripped up, new home of @ucddublin athletics nearing completion. New beginning awaits.
17
21
474
3:34.28 another national record. Paris here they come again, this time the women’s 4x400.
15
11
477
She’s only gone and bloody well smashed it! 2:28:40 (unofficial) for @cooke_aoife is a Tokyo Olympic qualifier
16
24
468
Still smiling, naturally. Only the second ever Olympic medal won by an Irish male swimmer
4
6
467
The end of the track for Thomas Barr, always gave it his absolute level best.
8
18
487
Assume they put the mask on Sam Bennett only hoping most people wouldn’t notice it’s not actually him
50
36
458
A snapshot from the Texas Relays: most of her rivals stand around nervously for the anchor leg of the 4x4, Rhasidat Adeleke sat down, utterly focused. She ran a 49.2 winning anchor split, her fourth relay title of the weekend. Including three @NCAA records
5
13
449
By my calculations that’s 52 Irish sprint records for Rhasidat Adeleke, all the way up from youths, including the now complete set at senior level, and she’s still only 21. Which must be another record in itself.
8
24
451
1:44.76, Fastest time ever run by an Irishman in a championship; @markenglish_ progressing to the semi-finals @WCHoregon22
5
20
437
Wow. that’s a World Championship 1,500m final for @ciaramageean . first since @soniaagrith in 1997.
6
26
434
Fifth from Sarah Lavin in a world record final. One of the most consistent Irish athletes in the world right now.
8
13
409
She’s done it again! Mawdsley takes Ireland into another Olympic relay final
6
1
398
…. and that’s the winning score. Ireland’s first ever World gymnastics champion @McClenaghanRhys
4
14
391
Star-attraction. 40 minutes after her race Rhasidat Adeleke is still in the mixed zone.
7
7
388
Between them they broke 10 Irish senior records this year, and that's just for starters. @ciaramageean and @rhasidatadeleke named joint winners of 2023 Athlete of the Year .
1
23
389
Wicklow mountain sunset in September (that’s me in the mirror).
5
19
391
A week after losing his podium-tier funding, Thomas Barr makes the podium in the Diamond League opener in Doha, beating two Tokyo Olympic finalists to boot.
6
9
401
It’s been a while only this deal between @SportTG4 and @WorldAthletics will see a lot more athletics on Irish TV this summer via @IrishTimes.
8
23
394
Who said these championships don’t count for much in Olympic year?.Not Femke Bol.
9
8
388
Ballinrobe’s finest!. Oisin Joyce wins Ireland's first ever throws medal at the World U-20 Athletics Championships, bronze in the men’s javelin. He extended his own Irish U20 record to 73.89m to make the podium!.Pic: @irishathletics
3
15
381
She's only gone and done it ! @rhasidatadeleke comes out on Saturday and runs 49.90 seconds for 400 metres. Anything else?.
Rhasidat Adeleke smashes another Irish record as she runs world-class 200m time – The Irish Times
13
11
374
Another one bites the dust: old Screen Cinema in Dublin
44
94
364
Closer than expected. but Rhasidat Adeleke is the first Irish women to make an Olympic sprint final. Plenty good for now.
11
11
371
After 58 years, they take just under two seconds off the mile record in Croke Park. Super spikes included.
8
14
372
Things you notice on your morning run: Spruce-felling at Three Rock Mountain reveals Megalithic Tomb from the Second Millennium BC
10
40
346
Two weeks ago Rhasidat Adeleke told me her only goals for the outdoor season were to work harder and run faster. Two races in she’s run 22.34 seconds and now 49.90….
10
19
347
That’s how you finish a marathon-.Brilliant run by @scullion262 to come through for 3rd overall @dublinmarathon
7
15
350
Fastest Irish woman by three and a half seconds, ninth fastest woman in history, best run yet by @ciaramageean.
1
17
358
'That was a decent time you know.'.My dad's response when reminding him this evening that in 1977, Jerry Kiernan ran 7:56 for 3,000m in London, breaking his Irish record of 8:02, which he set in Santry in 1966. Jerry had great respect in this family, and will be sadly missed. RIP
5
17
355
Irish record and into the 100m breaststroke final as second fastest qualifier for Mona McSharry
0
13
342
That’s a winning distance. Gold medal number 2 for Daniel Wiffen
8
29
351
Wow, Tokyo RWC 2019, Olympics 2020; France RWC 2023, Paris Olympics 2024 . small world #RWC2023.
16
244
347
There can only ever be one first Irish Olympic medal winner in gymnastics. Take a bow Rhys McClenaghan, who plans to celebrate in Paris later tonight with his first drink in seven months.
4
11
345
He’s only gone and blown the bloody doors off: Irish record and Tokyo automatic qualifier for @markenglish_ @dublintrackclub
4
22
336
Brilliant finish to men’s Under-23 race, silver for Darragh McElhinney, gold for the team.
5
19
343
Incredible run by @diversinead @nycmarathon . Fifth best woman in 2:26:23 behind four East African women. (at age 42) @IrishTimesSport
12
28
331
Under-20 team that won silver medals, one point off Great Britain to win gold.
5
13
339
This is how you run away from a World 400m-relay gold medal winner. @rhasidatadeleke with her fourth relay title in two days @TexasTFXC relays, got her at 49.2 split, taking that as official. The rest of the season can’t come quick enough.
9
17
323