It is fair to say that Sinead Jennings is a remarkable woman. Thirty-nine years old, with three children and three failed attempts to qualify for an Olympic Games-including one attempt at track cycling for London 2012-in 2015 she teamed up with Claire Lambe for one last shot at achieving her dream of qualifying for an Olympics. The duo's journey to the final of the lightweight women's double sculls captured the imagination of the country, and we saw just what it meant to her and Lambe in the aftermath of that final.
Jennings became the first ever female world champion in rowing from these shores on August 26, 2001, and that was the sport through which she experienced most of her highs and lows during her career. But her sporting talents are not confined to the boat-she was an international triathlete and cyclist as a junior.
And so it should come as no surprise, really, that nine days after participating in that final in Rio, where they placed in sixth place, Jennings won the women's half marathon in the 2016 Donegal Half Marathon. Her sister, Catriona, won the full women's marathon event.
Jennings was running in the event a few days after her homecoming on Thursday, after which the lads at Donegal Sports Hub conducted a lovely interview with the athlete.
Jennings came in with a time of 1:23:40. Stories circulating Donegal that she now plans to cycle up Mount Everest (backwards) are unconfirmed.
Olympian Sinéad Jennings wins women's category in Donegal half marathon https://t.co/tqMfML8d8P via @DonegalNowNews
— Mark Kelly (@thewateredge) August 21, 2016
H/T 'Donegal Now'
