Nov 22, 2019
20×20 Questions with Stephanie Meadow
1. What’s your first memory of sport as a child?
Hitting balls with my dad at Ballyearl driving range when I was probably 5 or 6 years old.
2. How did you first become involved in sport?
My dad was a golfer and brought me along. I immediately become hooked and starting playing with him.
3. What sports did you try as a child?
Hockey, horse-riding, golf and swimming.
4. What decided you to settle on your chosen sport?
I loved it more than the other sports. I actually fell off the horse and realised that golf was really what I wanted to do. Ever since then I had my heart set on turning pro and making it my career.
5. Who has had the most impact on your sporting career?
My parents. They sacrificed so much for me while I was growing up and I know I would be nowhere near where I am today without them.
6. What female do you most admire in the world of sport?
Annika Sorenstam. She is by far the greatest LPGA golfer of all time. I admire her determination, grit and fire.
7. Outside of sport what do you do in your leisure time?
Cook, spinning, hang out with my family and friends. We travel so much with our sport that when we our home we really just enjoy doing normal things. Being in your house, going to grocery store, having a family dinner. For a lot of people these are normal but not for us as we travel 30 + weeks a year.
8. What is the last movie you went to see? What is your favourite movie of all time?
The last movie I saw was a long time ago. I actually watch a lot of my movies on the plane. I love Sandra Bullock so really any movie with her in it is great!
9. What music do you listen to?
A little bit of everything depending on what I’m doing. Anything from Hip Hop to electronic to old school.
10. Are you a reading fan? If so what are you currently reading?
I read a little bit when I travel but not a whole lot. I just finished The Art of Racing in the Rain.
11. Do you follow any sports stars on social media? If so who?
I follow lots of other sports stars. I admire anyone who has the work ethic and talent to be at the top of their sport. Lindsey Vonn, Serena Williams and loads of others.
12. Forget about your sporting diet for a moment? Your favourite meal when you breakout?
Any kind of Pasta and a really good chocolate desert!
13. Who do you most admire in your own sport?
Annika Sorenstam
14. Do you have a special ritual before competing?
I always use one of three balls markers and always mark my ball with a pink clover.
15. Do you still play other sports for fun?
Not really
16. What advice would you give to young girls & boys to encourage them to participate in sport?
Sport is an unbelievably powerful thing and you don’t have to be the best to reap the rewards. No matter what sport you choose it will teach you so many things. You learn discipline, respect, confidence, time-management, failure, success, teamwork, dedication, and perseverance. Sport is about so much more than “being good at it”. Give it a go and make friends while your at it.
17. What has been your biggest sporting achievement?
Representing Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. There is nothing quite like representing your country at the highest level.
18. How do you cope with (a) injuries; (b) other setbacks?
Injuries and set backs are inevitable in sport. You have to set out a plan and drive forward to overcome the obstacles. I think that understanding that things might not turn around right away is key. Anything worth working for takes time and we have to remember that.
19. What do your family make of your success?
I know they are very proud of me but I’m still just Steph (one of the fam)
20. What does sport mean to you?
Everything. Like I said before it has taught me so many things, given me so many friends and allowed me to see so many places.
Check out the 20×20 Women in Sport Calendar for upcoming fixtures
https://20×20.ie/event-calendar/
Nov 20, 2019
Our International 20×20 Women in Sport Award goes this week goes to Denise O’Sullivan who many would argue – and we will not disagree – is perhaps the finest women’s soccer player Ireland has ever produced. Denise who won her 75th cap for Ireland in their recent game against Greece has had a phenomenal year that saw her play a vital role in her team North Carolina Courage winning the National Women’s Soccer League title in the US for the second year in succession. In the process her team mates voted her the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), is for the second year in a row. An incredible achievement in a team that includes several of the US team that won the World Cup earlier this year. And even more recently she was voted the FAI’s International Women’s Player of the Year. Denise started her career with Wilton United in Cork before moving to Peamount in Dublin. Next up was Glasgow City before she moved to the US and the Houston Dash. After a short time there, it was on to North Carolina Courage and huge success. Her coach Paul Riley speaks glowingly of her ” She was the biggest gift we ever got, what a player this young lady is and she’s improved so much, she’s the one player we can’t play without. That’s what she’s become”. She has become one of the best midfielders in the world. Team-mate Rachel Corsie who captains Scotland says “She’s so good in the little pockets with the ball at her feet and she brings others into play. She brings the best out of others, she is, in my opinion, one of the best midfielders out there, one of the best in the world.” The US season is now in its winter break but no rest for Denise as she has joined Canberra United in Australia on loan as a guest player for the winter. Her chief target next year will of course be qualifying for the European Championships with Ireland.
Nov 13, 2019
Our International 20×20 Women in Sport Award this week goes to all the women who every day volunteer their time and expertise all over the world to ensure that sport happens in every country on the planet, Women who ensure that young girls ,and indeed in many cases young boys, get to participate in sport and who in many cases slow the seeds that see those girls and boys go on to national and international success.
It is totally appropriate to acknowledge their efforts in a week in which the Federation of Irish Sport paid tribute to all the volunteers who ensure sport happens every day of the year in Ireland. Recent research by the Federation
showed that some 450,000 Irish men and women volunteer across all sports every year in Ireland. Furthermore the research indicates that the value of their volunteering – if it had to be paid for – is worth in excess of One Billion Euro annually.
Minister Brendan Griffin was on hand at Farmleigh to congratulate the winners of the awards. A volunteer in every one of the 32 counties was presented with an award although as was pointed out on the day the awards were set up not alone to honour the winners but in doing so to honour all 450,000 of those who volunteer in sport in Ireland. The awards also featured a Volunteering Team of the Year. This went to Women on Wheels. And finally there was an Outstanding Contribution Award which recognised the contribution made by an individual to sport in Ireland many years. This went to swimings Mary Dunne ,who has, and continues to, made a massive contribution to the sport of swimming through her work with Ballina Dolphins, Connaught Swimming and Swim Ireland. In 2016 she was made Honorary President of Swim Ireland.
Nov 8, 2019
20×20: Questions with Leona Maguire
1. What’s your first memory of sport as a child?
From a young age I remember going to all sorts of GAA club matches and Cavan county games with Dad to cheer on the boys in blue. I was about five when I remember watching Sonia O Sullivan win her silver medal at the Sydney Olympics and watching Ian Thorpe dominate in the pool for Australia.
2. How did you first become involved in sport?
I was involved in all types of sport from a very young age. I enjoyed being and playing outside with my sister and friends in the evenings and at weekends so playing anything with a ball or a stick was right up my alley. Gaelic football and swimming were my two favourite but I really enjoyed playing any sport or game that fuelled my competitive spirit.
3. What sports did you try as a child?
I literally played every sport under the sun. I really enjoyed playing Gaelic football with the local club and at school and I spent countless hours in the swimming pool as well training both in the mornings before and in the evenings after school. Dad used to help run a summer camp for kids when we were younger too and the highlight of that was always playing some Olympic handball or rounders outside!
4. What decided you to settle on your chosen sport?
I loved the fact that golf could be played outside in the fresh air for countless hours on end everyday. I really like the challenge golf presents, you rarely get the same conditions 2 days in a row and each course varies so much depending on the weather, design and grass type.
One of the things that I liked the most about golf was the transfer of skills that could be applied to everyday life. The lessons that I have learned on the golf course have had direct applications to other areas of my life such as school and college. Over the years, golf has helped foster my strong work ethic, sense of discipline and determination, all qualities that will come in handy in other areas of my life.
5. Who has had the most impact on your sporting career?
My parents have been huge role models for me growing up and still remain very much so to this day. They have made so many sacrifices in order to ensure that I have the opportunities to pursue my dreams both on and off the golf course and for that I couldn’t be more grateful.
6. What female do you most admire in the world of sport?
I have so much admiration and respect for Katie Taylor both as a person and as an athlete. She has been a true pioneer for women’s boxing and for sport in Ireland all while remaining so incredibly humble and gracious. I also really admire Ellen Keane for tenacity and overwhelming sense of positivity. Her passion for swimming and life in general is truly infectious and she is truly an inspiration to us all when it comes to the determination it takes to overcome adversity and to do so with a smile on your face!
7. Outside of sport what do you do in your leisure time?
I love going to other sporting matches with friends and take time out in the evenings to go to the cinema. When I am at home I really enjoy spending time with my two golden retrievers Sydney and Snoopy, taking them on nice long walks in the countryside and around the golf course.
8. What is the last movie you went to see? What is your favourite movie of all time?
I just went to see the Joker last weekend but as a kid I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter books and I could watch all the movies back to back no problem!
9. What music do you listen to?
I don’t really listen to that much music, I prefer to watch tv shows in my spare time but if I do I would probably just listen to whatever is most popular on the radio right now
10. Are you a reading fan? If so what are you currently reading?
I had to do a lot of reading as part of my psychology degree in college so I have taken a bit of a break from social reading right now. However, I do enjoy reading sports autobiographies from the likes of Serena Williams when I am travelling on long flights.
11. Do you follow any sports stars on social media? If so who?
Most of the accounts that I follow on social media are sports stars. I really enjoy getting an insight into their training schedules and seeing how they prepare for events. I enjoy seeing content from all our Irish athletes and teams as well as international stars such as Michaela Shiffrin, Elena Delle Donne, Lindsey Vonn, Serena Williams and Simone Biles.
12. Forget about your sporting diet for a moment? Your favourite meal when you breakout?
It’s hard to beat good southern BBQ; sweet potato casserole, beef brisket, cornbread, hush-puppies and ribs became a favourite of mine spending 4 years at college in North Carolina. For dessert, I really have a soft spot for Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream or a good 99!
13. Who do you most admire in your own sport?
I really admire Padraig Harrington for everything he has achieved and for what he has done to promote golf in Ireland. He has been a great role model for young Irish golfers who can watch him on TV or playing in Irish Opens, hoping one day to emulate his success.
I also have huge admiration for Suzann Pettersen, especially for her achievements and passion shown in the Solheim Cup, especially after giving birth to her son, Herman. The passion she shows for the game in incredible and her strong work ethic and drive to succeed is an inspiration for all young girls taking up the game.
14. Do you have a special ritual before competing?
I always have 10 tees in my pocket; 7 long ones and 3 short ones and my lucky shamrock or Duke ball marker. I keep my routine consistent for every round that I play and I don’t do anything different whether it’s the first round of a small tournament or the last round of a major.
15. Do you still play other sports for fun?
I still like to incorporate swimming as part of my fitness routine especially during the off season to build up some extra stamina. It is also a great way for me to relax and recover after long days on the course and after training in the gym. I used to play football up until a few years ago but I really can’t play contact sports at this point of my career as the risk of getting injured is just too high.
16. What advice would you give to young girls & boys to encourage them to participate in sport?
I would advise all young boys and girls to play as many sports as they can and to stay as active as they can growing up. Sport is a great way to meet new people, travel the world and experience new cultures all while learning new skills that will stand to you in all other areas of your life. But most importantly, have fun while playing sport, try playing with as many friends as you can and enjoy being outside in the fresh air after school or at the weekend. One last thing that I would say is to not get discouraged if you don’t enjoy the sport right away, there are so many different types of sports and activities that you can take part in, there really is something for everybody and you can achieve anything if you work hard enough!
17. What has been your biggest sporting achievement?
I have had so many great memories from the last number of years but I would have to say that my biggest achievements would either have been reaching and staying at the number 1 position in the world rankings for 135 consecutive weeks or representing Ireland at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
18. How do you cope with (a) injuries; (b) other setbacks?
I have been lucky enough to remain relatively injury free over the last number of years. I always find it helpful to focus on the things I can control and to trust my processes. However, I focus considerably on exercises with my physio Julianne and my strength coach Timmy that will keep my body strong, healthy and flexible throughout the season. With respect to setbacks, I like to focus on what I can do to improve all areas of my game throughout the year and during the off season. I keep statistics from my tournaments rounds which allow me to analysis what areas of my game I can target in practice.
19. What do your family make of your success?
My family are incredibly supportive and have been extremely encouraging throughout my career. They love to come out to tournaments to watch me play and they have made plenty of sacrifices over the years so that I could chase my dreams of professional golf.
20. What does sport mean to you?
Sport has been a huge part of my life since I was a young girl and I simply couldn’t imagine my life without it. Sport has given me so many wonderful opportunities over the last number of years that I simply wouldn’t have been able to pursue without it. Being involved in sport has allowed me to meet so many incredibly people and develop so many wonderful friendships that I will treasure for a lifetime, I have been able to travel all over the world while playing the game I love and I have been able to experience so many new cultures that have really helped to broaden my horizons.
Photo Credit: Golffile
Nov 6, 2019
Our International 20×20 Women in Sport Award this week goes to an Irishwoman who in all likelihood will be competing in the Tokyo Olympics next year wearing the green and golf of her adopted Australia. She is marathon runner Sinead Diver who last weekend once again proved that age is no barrier when it comes to marathon running. Just shy of her 43rd birthday she finished a superb fifth best woman in the New York Marathon, with a time of 2:26:23 over what is one of the toughest of all the big city courses. Sinead a Mayo woman earlier this year ran 2:24:11 in London where she finished seventh best woman having led at the halfway stage. Just over a month ago she ran 31:25:49 to finish 14th in the World Championships 10,000 in the searing heat of Doha.
A mother of two Sinead works as a full time software developer. With around 52,500 starters New York is the biggest of the big city marathons, the testing course, winds through the Five Boroughs, before finishing up through the rolling hills of Central Park. New York would not be a favourite course for Sinead as it is hilly and she prefers flat courses, but she felt that the experience of just racing for placing would be great practice leading into Tokyo. Her 2:24:11 from London is almost certain to get her on the start line for that Olympic marathon next summer, New York will likely be her last marathon before the Olympics. Having missed out on the Rio Olympics 2016 due to a knee injury, competing in Tokyo will be extra special for Diver.
Recently she has a small leave of absence from here full-time work as a software developer in order to prepare for New York, “If you feel good enough to do it then give it a go,” she says about racing so competitively at age 42. “Nobody else can tell you what your body is capable of. There is nothing to suggest that when you turn 40 you need to fall apart. It hasn’t happened for me and I feel fitter than I was ten years ago. If I can do it then I can’t see why other people can’t do it too.” And so say all of us. Another truly inspirational woman!
Nov 1, 2019
Sarah Dervan is a captain of the Galway Senior Camogie panel, All-Ireland winning medalist 2013 and 2019. She holds a Senior County title with club Mullagh 2014 and is also is in receipt of five All Star Awards for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019.
20 Questions – Sarah Dervan
1. What’s your first memory of sport as a child?
One of my first memories of sport as a child was my parents bringing me to Croke Park to see the Galway Senior Camogie Team win the All-Ireland in 1996. I went out on the field after the game, met all the players and got a photo holding the O’ Duffy Cup that has resurfaced recently.
2. How did you first become involved in sport?
I first became involved in sport when my brothers brought me out to the lawn where they taught me how to play hurling. Little did I know at that time they were only going to stick me in goals to take shots on me.
3. What sports did you try as a child?
I obviously played camogie and hurling with the U14 boys however I also played soccer when I was younger and reached the Community Games u12 All-Ireland Soccer final. I also loved playing Volleyball in Secondary School.
4. What decided you to settle on your chosen sport?
Hurling and Camogie is very prominent in my Club Mullagh plus both my brothers were extremely involved, and I wanted to be just like them.
5. Who has had the most impact on your sporting career?
My Family have had the most impact on my sporting career. My parents literally go all over the country to watch me play even if it was a challenge match- they would be there. They have been with me in the good times and helped me through the hard times. Their consistent support and encouragement is amazing.
6. What female do you most admire in the world of sport?
The female I would most admire in the world of sport would have to be Katie Taylor. She put women’s boxing on the map, against all the odds and has brought huge publicity to women in sport to an unprecedented level that has never been witnessed before.
7. Outside of sport what do you do in your leisure time?
I love walking especially with my dog, meeting my friends and sitting back and watching a good film with a large bag of popcorn.
8. What is the last movie you went to see? What is your favourite movie of all time?
The last movie I went to see was Bohemian Rhapsody. My favorite movie of all time would have to be Gladiator. Russel Crowe is unbelievable in it.
9. What music do you listen to?
I’m not the country western type so I like Eminem, Lewis Capaldi and Tones and I. Dance Monkey is be the song of the year for Galway Camogie.
10. Are you a reading fan? If so, what are you currently reading?
I really buy into sports psychology and am currently reading mind gym for the hundredth time.
11. Do you follow any sports stars on social media? If so who?
I’m not a massive social media person but I do follow a lot of the Camogie players from outside the county as well as Katie Taylor and a few Irish rugby players
12. Forget about your sporting diet for a moment? Your favourite meal when you breakout?
It would have to be Chicken tenders or Pizza. I’m waiting for the day of a chicken tender pizza 😊
13. Who do you most admire in your own sport?
A player I most admire in my own sport would have to Niamh Kilkenny. Her dedication to camogie is unbelievable, her ability on the field is out of this world and she is just such a wonderful ambassador for the sport .
14. Do you have a special ritual before competing?
I do have a special ritual before every game which is a 15/20-minute ice bath the night before every game. I do find it keeps my legs fresh and my head clear even though the women think I’m a little crazy.
15. Do you still play other sports for fun?
No, I don’t really have the time, but I do get great enjoyment out of Camogie and the gym.
16. What advice would you give to young girls & boys to encourage them to participate in sport?
The advice I would give to young girls and boys would be that you make friends for life out of sport, the enjoyment and the lessons you learn from playing sport will help you in every aspect of your life as you grow up.
17. What has been your biggest sporting achievement?
My two biggest achievements would have to be winning the county final with my club Mullagh and winning the All Ireland with Galway.
18. How do you cope with (a) injuries; (b) other setbacks?
I have been extremely lucky with injuries thankfully as I haven’t had that many. Setbacks can be tough, but it is all about how you react to them. Setbacks can make you stronger , if you learn from them and not let them define you.
19. What do your family make of your success?
I think my family are more excited about it than I am, but it is as much their success as mine and the Teams.
20. What does sport mean to you?
Sport is a massive part of my life, if I’m not playing, I’m going to see my brothers play, going to a junior C game or going to watch our little stars in Mullagh play. I love nothing more in the evenings then going down to the pitch, tipping around with the ball and watching the matches.
Check out the 20×20 Women in Sport Calendar for upcoming fixtures
https://20×20.ie/event-calendar/
