Current Olympic 800m champion and world record holder, David Rudisha, and Brother Colm O'Connell, who is coach to 25 world champions and five Olympic champions, will participate in various activities in the city from September 11 to 16.
In response to an invitation that was sent by the Kenyan Association in Galway the pair will visit a number of schools in the city on September 12 and 13 before Rudisha runs in the celebrity 800m Galway Kenya Run at Dangan Sports Complex on September 14. The short track meet in Dangan is expected to feature various celebrities and will also include an elite mile where athletes will attempt to break the four-minute barrier in Galway for the first time. Following the race Rudsha will take part in a question and answer session along with Brother O’Connell. The events which are sponsored by the North Pole Marathon, will be used as fundraisers for Galway Simon Community and Self Help Africa.
The Galway Kenya Run kicks off at 1pm on September 14 with timed 800m runs for the public being operated every 10 minutes until 5pm so you can see how your time compares with Rudisha’s 1;40;91 world record. There is no registration for this walk, run, or crawl event, just turn up and give a donation. At 4pm the celebrity 800m which is a free event will take place followed by the Elite Galway City Mile at 4.20pm (also a free event ). Following the track activities the Q&A session with Brother O’Connell and David Rudisha will take place between 6.30pm and 8pm in the Bailey Alan Hall in NUI Galway. MC for the Q&A session will be Irish Olympian Paul Donovan and the event is expected to be of interest to people wanting to better themselves, whether it is in individual sports, team sports, business, or life.
Brother Colm O’Connell believes that traditional methods for sporting success need to be replaced with modern thinking and a more holistic approach. He added: “It’s an attitude, it’s an approach, It’s the way you deal with an athlete. It is the environment in which you bring them, that is what is important.”
Admission to the Q&A is €10 with all proceeds going to charity.It is advised to book your ticket in advance to avoid disappointment as places are limited. For more information log on to www.galwaykenyarun.com and www.facebook.com/GalwayKenyaRun
