Paris and Rome heroes caught PJ Leddy's eye in 2024 sports review

Journalist PJ Leddy looks back on an action packed 2024 and gives us his sporting highlights of the past 12 months from a Leitrim and national perspective.

HIGHLIGHT

When the Leitrim Ladies claimed a one point win over Tyrone in the LGFA All Ireland Intermediate championship final in Croke Park on Sunday, August 4, it undoubtedly was a very happy experience for all Leitrim people at home and abroad. It was also a dramatic victory as Tyrone came back in the second half to whittle away a comfortable Leitrim lead to a single point at the end of a thriller. 

LOWLIGHT

From a Gaelic football perspective, the Kerry and Derry All Ireland SFC quarter final in Croke Park was probably one of the poorest quality games of the entire championship. It was level pegging at half-time on a 0-6 all scoreline after a highly defensive first half performance by both sides. In a similarly unimpressive second half, Kerry managed to outscore Derry to win by 0-15 to 0-10 at the end. Hopefully the new rule changes that will operate in 2025 will eliminate such unentertaining games.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

The Irish mixed 4 x 400m relay team of Chris O'Donnell Sligo, Rhasidat Adeleke Dublin, Thomas Barr Waterford and Sharlene Mawdsley Tipperary produced an outstanding performance when they won the European athletics championships final in Rome in a European record time of 3 minutes 09.92 seconds, taking the gold ahead of Italy and Holland.

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Kellie Harrington is my choice as personality of the year after she won the women's Olympic 60k boxing final for Ireland on Wednesday, August 7 in Paris after she defeated Chinese opponent Wenlu Yang, becoming the only Irish fighter to win double Olympic gold medals after her first gold victory at the 2021 Tokyo Games. 

Kellie's double Irish gold medal winning performance matched Pat O'Callaghan golds in 1928 and 1932, as well as that of rowers Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy. 

Despite his  defeat on 27 July 2024, in the first round in Paris Seán McDermott BC's Dean Clancy made history as the first ever Olympian from Manorhamilton’s Sean McDermott Boxing Club.

PERSON THAT MADE ME GO WOW!

When Armagh's Daniel Wiffen won the Olympic 800 metres freestyle swimming gold medal in Paris for Ireland on Tuesday, July 30 it was a truly magnificent performance. Wiffen set a new Olympic record of 7 minutes 38.29 seconds when claiming the gold medal. There was further success for Wiffen in Paris when he took the bronze medal in the 1500 freestyle.

ONE THING I’D DO TO MAKE SPORT BETTER IN 2025

At Leitrim level, and to some degree at provincial and national levels, it would be great if different sports organisations could coordinate their fixtures so that clashes for club and county teams could be minimised as far as possible. Where clubs and the county have teams involved in ladies and men's in fixtures on the same day, it would be highly desirable that both club and county supporters could be facilitated to attend when their teams are playing and not be forced to make a choice as regards to which game they will go because of a clash of fixtures.

HERO OF THE YEAR

Ciara Mageean who won the 1500 metres gold medal for Ireland at the European track and field championships in Rome - it was truly a heroic performance by the 32 year old Portaferry woman. Ciara pounced coming into the finishing straight to get through a gap that developed between British runners Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell and went on to claim a clear cut and dramatic victory at the finish line.

WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES FACING LEITRIM SPORT IN 2025?

Facilities – there will be a big demand for Leitrim GAA pitches to cater for all the teams involved in the sport at men's and women's adults levels, as well as at underage levels. In athletics, the lack of a 400 metre track in the county means that all Leitrim track and field championships have to take place outside the county at the ATU Sligo track while the Leitrim County Community Games Athletics finals take place there too. In Leitrim soccer with the number of men's, women's as well as underage teams participating more pitches are probably needed to meet the demand for them.

ONE TO WATCH 2025

After Leitrim won the All Ireland Ladies intermediate championship final in Croke Park on 4 August 2024 can the Leitrim Ladies claim another national title in 2025 by winning the LGFA Division 4 League title? Nothing is certain in sport but if Leitrim does manage to win the 2025 LGFA Division 4 League title for which they will be firm favourites it certainly will be a great boost for them afterwards when they play in the 2025 Connacht and All Ireland LGFA senior championships.