A Reception Worthy of a Champion at the Irish Club in the City of Champions
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MARTIN DOYLE, president of the Irish Sports and Social Society of Edmonton presents a jersey to runner Eamonn Coghlan.
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EDMONTON – Three-time Olympian Eamonn Coghlan was given a reception worthy of a champion in the City of Champions, when he visited the Irish Club on April 30.
His good friend Jerry Bouma introduced him as “the man who united Ireland” – for four minutes as the country stopped to watch him participate in the 1,500 metre event for men at the Montreal Summer Olympics in 1976.
Coghlan spoke about his career in athletics from the time he left Villanova University in Pennsylvania where he was studying on scholarship as a homesick 19-year-old, and returned to Dublin unsure of his future.
He gives credit to his coach at Villanova, Jumbo Elliott, who saw something in the timid young Irishman and encouraged him to return.
Coghlan spoke of his frustration at finishing fourth at two Olympics, and his joy at winning the World Championship in 1983. He also outlined his endeavours to become the first 40-year-old to run a sub-four minute mile – something he is immensely proud to have accomplished.
Eamonn is most proud of his track record in North America and Canada and paid tribute to the Irish diaspora for their unbelievable support, no matter what city he competed in.
He recently published his book Chairman of the Boards and Master of the Mile which should be a most interesting profile of a very personable and talented athlete.
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