Conor Kelly Takes Inspiration from Rhasidat Adeleke: His Exciting Commitment to the University of Texas

The buzz around Conor Kelly is hard to ignore. Just recently, this young athlete claimed the gold medal in the 400 meters at the European Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland. At just 18 years old, he finished with an impressive 45.83 seconds, breaking his own Irish under-20 record. This victory marks a significant achievement, as he’s now among the best in Irish athletics history.

What’s next for Kelly? He’s heading to the University of Texas in Austin soon, a place known for nurturing top athletic talent. Rhasidat Adeleke, who also shone at the European level, made her mark there. For Kelly, competing in the U.S. means going up against some of the world’s best young athletes, giving him an edge in his development.

Reflecting on his win, Kelly couldn’t hide his joy. “It’s special,” he said during his medal presentation. He recalled his previous bronze medal from the European Under-18 Championships, noting how hard he worked to achieve this win. He mentioned the effort he puts into training, including diet and sleep, and praised the support of his coaches and team.

“Last year was great, but this is different. It feels amazing,” he added, hinting at the hard road ahead before his move to Texas.

Kelly is the ninth Irish athlete to earn a gold medal in the European Under-20 Championships, a feat that hasn’t been achieved since John Treacy took bronze in 1975 in Athens. Kelly’s success follows in the footsteps of other notable Irish athletes like Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy.

But Kelly isn’t the only one shining for Ireland. In Tampere, Precious Akpe-Moses made finals in both the 100m and 200m, while Seán Cronin competed bravely in the 1,500m. Meanwhile, Nick Griggs, a European Under-20 champion from 2021, set a new Irish Under-23 record in Belgium, clocking 13:05.75.

To put it all in perspective, Irish athletics has seen a resurgence in recent years. As more young athletes like Kelly step into the limelight, the future looks bright for Ireland on the international stage.

For more details on Ireland’s sports achievements, you can check out the Irish Athletic Association.

Source link

athletics-ireland