Latest news with #2000Olympics
The Irish Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Inside Sonia O'Sullivan's Rome trip as she savours historic sights while cheering on Irish athletics successor
SONIA O'Sullivan took in Rome's historic sights - while also savouring seeing the present and future of Irish athletics in action. The 2000 Olympics silver medallist was in attendance at Friday's Diamond League meeting where Advertisement 6 In the lead-up to Saturday's event she took in renowned sights like the Trevi Fountain Credit: @soniagrith 6 She also took this 'obligatory' photo Stadio dei Marmi Credit: @soniagrith 6 Sonia would be better equipped than 99.9 per cent of tourists to clock up 32k steps per day Credit: @soniagrith 6 'Great to be in Rome to see Sarah Healy take a big win at the Diamond League' Credit: @soniagrith The 24-year-old ran 3:59.17 to romp to victory in the 1,500m at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday night. The Dubliner surged to the front in the last 40 metres to edge Australian duo Sarah Billings (3:59.24) and Abbey Caldwell (3:59.32). Afterwards she beamed: 'I'm obviously really happy to come away with the win. 'It was a really competitive field, I thought it wouldn't be crazy quick and it was quite crowded, there was a lot of bodies and I was further back than I wanted to be the whole time. Advertisement Read More On Irish Sport "But I tried to stay patient and in the last lap I had to make a good few moves, which I was happy with, especially on the home straight. 'I know my shape is good, I ran a big 3km PB two weeks ago so I know I'm really fit. "Hopefully a PB in the 1500m is coming for me soon but today, I just wanted to compete for the win. "I know I'm good at hard, fast races, but races like this were more where I struggled so I'm really, really happy to win – it's really cool.' Advertisement Most read in Athletics Healy has been edging towards victory in recent times, having finished third in the 3,000m at the Rabat Diamond League. She will next race in 1,500m at the Paris Diamond League on June 20, and revealed the secret behind her success. 'Next Usain Bolt' Gout Gout, 17, runs blistering sub-10sec 100m twice in same day She added: 'I'm having a lot of fun which is the main thing. And it's probably why I'm running so well.' 2025 is already set up to be a stunning year for Healy, who claimed European gold as recently as March. Advertisement The Irish star dominated the 3,000m at the Euro Indoors, crossing the line in a brilliant 8:52.86, bagging her first senior international title in style. She followed that up by finishing sixth in the same discipline at the World Indoors in Nanjing later that same month. 6 Along with Ciara Mageean, the Monkstown native has taken on the baton from O'Sullivan as regards Irish middle and long distance running 6 O'Sullivan's silver in the 5000 metres final at the Sydney Olympics is one of the greatest achievements in Irish sport Advertisement Healy was in contention throughout and only lost touch with the leaders in the final 400m when gold medal winner Freweyni Hailu of Ethiopia kicked clear. Healy crossed the line in 8.40.00, just 13 days after she won the European title in Apeldoorn. She said: 'It was a pretty solid race from me. I put myself in the right position from the start. 'I expected the race to be faster, it ended up being slow with a big wind-up towards the end. Advertisement 'When the big move was made at three laps to go, I was a little too far back and had a lot to make up. 'I think sixth is a pretty solid result for me and I'm pretty happy with it, but it does leave me hungry for more.'
Sky News AU
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Sky News AU
'I'm mixing it up': Aussie swimming legend Michael Klim rocks striking new look as he bravely opens up about his rare autoimmune disease
Australian swimming great Michael Klim has debuted a bold new look as he launches a foundation dedicated to raising awareness and funding research into Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), the rare autoimmune condition he was diagnosed with in 2020. The 47-year-old, best known for his stellar performance at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, where he took home gold in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays, as well as silver in the 100m butterfly and 4x100m medley relay, first began noticing symptoms several years ago. Initially attributing them to the toll of elite sport, further testing revealed Klim had CIDP - a disease that causes progressive muscle weakness, particularly in the lower limbs. Appearing on The Project on Tuesday night from his home in Bali, the father-of-three showcased his new facial hair and opened up about the challenges of living with the condition. "I'm just mixing it up, you know?" he said of the goatee. "I've had one look for 47 years, so I had to come up with something different." Despite his diagnosis, Klim said he's now in a good place physically and mentally. "I'm feeling really well. Life has really stabilised physically and mentally since the diagnosis five years ago," he said, adding that the launch of his new charity, The Klim Foundation, felt like the natural next step. "I feel like I'm up for the challenge- it's going to be a big one- but I think my history has given me a lot of insight and knowledge which I can now pass onto others that are going through this pretty tough journey." The Polish-born Australian also spoke about how CIDP has affected his mobility. "My mobility is compromised," he said, explaining he uses AFOs, ankle-foot orthoses, to help him stay mobile. "With that assistance, I can still do most things. Unfortunately, some of my favourite things like surfing and playing tennis are kind of out of the question. "But I had a ski for the first time in 12 years last year, so there are still a lot of things that you can do." The goal of The Klim Foundation, he said, is to empower others living with CIDP and help them reclaim their lives. "That can be achieved through things like blood donations, AFOs, the right physios, and also having the support of counsellors," he said. "For me, mentally coming out of that hole and realising that life still had a lot to give was probably the biggest win." The foundation was founded by Klim alongside his partner of two years, Michelle Owen. It's board includes some of the biggest names in sport- Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and even Klim's former rival, American swimmer Gary Hall Jr, who once famously said he would "smash him like a guitar". "The boys just wanted to help me raise the awareness of this condition," Klim said. "We do have a board that's got a lot of experience," he added, referencing key members like Paul Bird from Mission Australia, Mark Saubi from Mark Sowerby, and his best friend, former Olympic table tennis player David Zalcberg. "…It's going to take a group of champions to find not only a cure but to overcome this challenge." Reflecting on Hall Jr's involvement, Klim laughed as he recalled their former rivalry. "Gary - he's a diabetic, he's been in the medical field most of this life. He is probably the only Olympic gold medallist with diabetes," Klim said. "He loves Australia, even though some of the Aussies don't like him. "I'm going to make it my mission he'll be a favoured Aussie very soon."
