The most surprising Olympic accolade for Ireland

In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, sports correspondents have revisited some lesser-known Irish Olympic tales. These narratives have been recounted in a podcast series, each episode narrated by the tale’s author.

The fifth instalment shares a tale from Ian O’Riordan about an extraordinary year in the life of John Treacy. This anecdote tracks his journey from nearly giving up the sport to securing an Olympic medal in his initial marathon race. A decisions to move to America, an intuitively good doctor, and a fair portion of fortune collectively played a role in the phenomenal outcome of the Irish athlete at the 1984 Los Angeles marathon.

For a listen of this amazing account from Episode 5, visit our website or find us on your preferred podcast app.

Written by Ireland.la Staff

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