Paul Donovan (athlete)

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Paul Donovan
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Ireland
World Indoor Championships
Silver medal – second place 1987 Indianapolis 3000 m

Paul Donovan (athlete) (born 11 July 1963) is an Irish former long-distance runner. He was the silver medallist in the 3000 metres at the 1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He was the number one ranked indoor runner that year. He represented Ireland at the Olympics twice: in 1984 and again in 1992.

Donovan was a three-time NCAA champion with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He also competed for Ireland at the European Athletics Championships in 1986 and at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He twice ran as a junior at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Career[]

Donovan grew up in Galway and took part in sports at high school, mainly being involved in Gaelic football, soccer, and rugby. However, while training for Gaelic football he found a gift for long-distance running.[1] He made his international debut at the 1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships staged on home soil in Limerick, running in the junior race and placing 54th.[2] He won the intermediate section of the British Schools Cross Country International that year,[3] as well as running in the 3000 metres heats at the 1979 European Athletics Junior Championships.[4] His last major junior appearance was a run at the 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he improved to 18th place and led the Irish junior team to eighth in the rankings.[5]

He enrolled at the University of Arkansas on an athletic scholarship and began competing for Irish coach John McDonnell's Arkansas Razorbacks team – among the country's best college track teams at that time.[6] He placed tenth at the 1983 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.[7] Donovan made his Olympic debut at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but failed to make it through past the first round of the 1500 metres.[1] His greatest success came at the NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships. He won his first title there over 1500 m in 1985, then scored a 3000 m and distance medley relay double at the 1986 championships. Both seasons the Razorbacks won the team title.[8] Among his teammates was Mike Conley, who had won the Olympic triple jump silver in 1984.[9]

He completed college in 1986 and began focusing in international competitions. He represented Ireland at the 1986 European Athletics Championships, but did not progress beyond the 5000 metres heats.[4] His career peak came during the 1987 indoor season. A lifetime best run of 7:47.95 minutes was the best by any 3000 m athlete in the world that year.[10] This set him up as a strong contender for the 3000 m title at the 1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships. A tactically run final saw a close finish and he took the silver medal narrowly behind fellow Irishman Frank O'Mara, and just three hundredths ahead of bronze medallist Terry Brahm.[11] However, a knee injury interrupted his career at this point and he did not reach such peaks again.[1]

After returning from injury in 1990, he made the grade for Ireland at the 1992 Summer Olympics and in the Olympic 5000 metres he competed in the heats only.[1] He was the Irish champion in that distance in both 1990 and 1993.[12] He was also the 1992 runner-up in the 1500 m at the AAA Indoor Championships.[13] His final major international outings came in 1993. He returned to the venue of his sole medal at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships, but failed to make the final. He qualified for the 1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final, but did not manage to finish the race.[14]

After his retirement, he was inducted into the Arkansas Razorbacks Hall of Fame in 1998.[1]

Personal bests[]

  • 1500 metres – 3:38.31 min (1984)
  • 1500 metres indoor – 3:41.39 min (1985)
  • Mile run – 3:55.82 min (1984)
  • Mile run indoor – 3:56.39 min (1986)
  • 3000 metres – 7:59.16 min (1993)
  • 3000 metres indoor – 7:47.95 min (1987)
  • 5000 metres – 13:23.16 min (1992)

Information on personal bests from IAAF profile and Tilastopaja.[4]

National titles[]

International competitions[]

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1979 World Cross Country Championships Limerick, Ireland 54th Junior race 24:34
4th Junior team 90 pts
European Junior Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 10th (heats) 3000 m 8:33.65
1981 World Cross Country Championships Madrid, Spain 18th Junior race 22:56
8th Junior team 137 pts
1984 Olympic Games Los Angeles, United States 4th (heats) 1500 m 3:45.70
1986 European Championships Stuttgart, West Germany 10th (heats) 5000 m 13:37.56
1987 World Indoor Championships Indianapolis, United States 2nd 3000 m 8:03.39
1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 10th (heats) 5000 m 14:03.79
1993 World Indoor Championships Toronto, Canada 8th (heats) 3000 m 8:03.69
IAAF Grand Prix Final London, United Kingdom — 5000 m DNF

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Paul Donovan. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  2. ^ IAAF World Cross Country Championships 7.4km CC Men Limerick Green Park Date: Sunday, 25 March 1979. AthChamps. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  3. ^ British Schools International Matches. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  4. ^ a b c Paul Donovan. Tilastopaja. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.[dead link]
  5. ^ IAAF World Cross Country Championships 7.0km CC Men Madrid Hippodromo de la Zarzuela Date: Saturday, 28 March 1981. AthChamps. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  6. ^ Maloney, Andrew & McDonnell, John (2013). John McDonnell: The Most Successful Coach in NCAA History. University of Arkansas. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  7. ^ "NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. pp. 7–9. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  8. ^ a b Razorbacks Win Track, Field title. Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, p. 4C (1986-03-17). Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  9. ^ Neff, Craig (1985-03-18). A great leap forward for Arkansas. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  10. ^ World Top Performers 1980-2006: Men (Indoor). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  11. ^ World Indoor Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  12. ^ a b Irish Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  13. ^ AAA Indoor Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  14. ^ Paul Donovan. IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
  15. ^ NCAA Indoor Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.

External links[]

Sporting positions
Preceded by Men's indoor 3000 m season's best performance
1987 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from ""