Leevale athlete Derval O’Rourke announces her retirement from competitive athletics. She had missed most of last season after undergoing a complicated Achilles tendon operation, and had not been able to race so far this season.
Derval was a talented athlete and a natural competitor. When she competed at major international events Derval was never intimidated and always believed that she would win. This inner belief and steel determination was paramount to her success.
Her decision brings down the curtain on an amazing career that put Irish sprint hurdling onto the global athletics map for the first time and she retires with five major championship medals in all.
Derval competed on the on the world stage for over 12 years, she burst into the public view in 2006 when she was crowned World Indoor champion, winning the 60 metres hurdles in Moscow. She went on to win two outdoor European silver medals in the 100 metres hurdles, in Gothenburg in 2006 and Barcelona in 2010. She came very close to another major championship medal when finished in a very close fourth place at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009.
Derval’s last championship race was at the 2013 European Indoor Championships where she won bronze.
Her national record of 12.65 seconds, set in 2010, remains world class.
We wish Derval every success with her new adventure. We thank her for the amazing journey and fantastic memories.
Derval O’Rourke: Roll of Honor
Gold – 60m Hurdles – World Indoor Championships 2006 (Moscow)
Silver – 100m Hurdles – European Championships 2006 (Gothenburg)
Silver – 100m Hurdles – European Championships 2010 (Barcelona)
Bronze – 60m Hurdles – European Indoor Championships 2009 (Turin)
Bronze – 60m Hurdles – European Indoor Championships 2013 (Gothenburg)
Fourth – 100m Hurdles – World Championships 2009 (Berlin)
Three-time Irish Olympian – Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012. Represented Europe at the IAAF Continental Cup in 2010
Irish Senior Record Holder 50m Hurdles Indoor (6.80 – Lievin 2006), 60m Hurdles Indoor (7.84 – Moscow 2006), 100m Hurdles Outdoor (12.65 – Barcelona 2010)
