Co Tyrone Olympian Eilish Flanagan did her local community proud as she set a new NI record and shaved six seconds off her PB in the heats of the 3000m Steeplechase in Tokyo on Sunday morning.
Unfortunately for Eilish a strong, competitive field led to a 12th place finish in the heats, but the former Omagh Harriers athlete was upbeat as she ran a PB in challenging conditions.
The 24-year-old was participating in her first Olympic Games, and will now have her eyes on 2024 when the games come to Paris, hopefully with a crowd to cheer the Gortin woman on.
“Honestly I would like to finish higher but I’m pretty happy with that, to PB here in these conditions,” Eilish told RTE Sport after the race.
“I’ve had a bit of a rocky season so to finally run a PB that I think I was capable of running, I’m decently happy with that.
“I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone at home, the support has been unbelievable and I am so thankful.”
Eilish ran a time of 9:34:86, with plenty of support from in and around her home house in Rouskey, Gortin.
On the same day as Eilish’s big event in Tokyo, her twin sister Roisin was also competing at the NI and Ulster Senior Track and Field Championships.
“Omagh Harriers AC are delighted and so proud to see one of our own, former member Eilish Flanagan, compete at the highest level this weekend in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo,” Eilish’s local running club said in a Facebook post.
“Eilish along with her twin sister Roisin wore the yellow and black of Omagh Harriers for many years as they progressed from talented youngsters under coach Bill McCausland to superb athletes on the world stage.
“The girls are a credit to themselves and their family, their clubs and their home town of Rouskey, Gortin.”
Both sisters are former pupils of the Sacred Heart College in Omagh, who spoke about their pride in their former pupils’ success.
Badoney Lower Parish Pastoral Council, which covers the area where Eilish is from, also sent a message of support to the Olympian.
"Congratulations Eilish. You have really done us proud and we look forward to your continued successes on the world stage," the parish council said.
