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Ireland's Fionnuala McCormack. Morgan Treacy/INPHO

McCormack makes history with 28th-place finish in Olympic marathon

The Wicklow native became Ireland’s first ever five-time female Olympian.

FIONNUALA McCORMACK MADE history in Paris this morning as she became Ireland’s first ever five-time female Olympian.

McCormack finished 28th in the women’s marathon in a season-best time of 2:30:12, recording her third consecutive top 30 finish at the Games.

The 39-year-old Wicklow native made her Olympic debut at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Sifan Hassan took gold, a remarkable achievement on the back of her bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m events.

The Ethiopian-born Dutch athlete crossed in an Olympic record time of 2:22:55 after sprinting clear of Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa to win by three seconds.

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri won bronze, with McCormack seven minutes and 17 seconds down on Hassan’s winning time.

“It wasn’t what I came here for. It was not what I envisaged at all,” McCormack told RTÉ.

“I feel like I never gave up but it wasn’t what I was hoping for really. I suppose (I was hoping for), minimum, better than I’d ever ran before and I was 20th in Rio, so I suppose better than that really.

“The course was great. We should have more courses like that maybe. Although at the end I think I would have nearly preferred more hills and less flat. I found the hills break it up and almost give you something to focus on, whereas when you’re on the flat it just feels like it’s going on forever.

“I hung on in there for as long as I could. On the first big hill I could feel I was gaining back into where I wanted to be but I don’t know, like I wasn’t in the race, which I was really hoping I would be this time.

“It’s hard when you’re in a race and just kind of watching everything move ahead of you, but the marathon is a bit like that and you have to just dig in and hold on as best you can and hopefully have something at the end to maybe make it respectable.”

McCormack was asked how she will reflect on becoming Ireland’s first ever five-time female Olympian.

“I suppose I can’t yet,” she said.

“It’s been mentioned a lot over the last while and to be honest most of the time it just makes me feel old, but I didn’t want to just be a participant in five Olympics, I wanted to perform, and I’m not sure I really did that today.

“I’ll look back on it eventually but at the moment it’s too soon. But out there on the course it was unbelievable, even the amount of people I could hear cheering for me from Wicklow and the amount of people that knew my name.

“You know it’s Irish people out there because so many people can’t pronounce my name and when I hear ‘Fionnuala’ I know I’m the only Fionnuala in the race and it is great to hear, even when you’re struggling, you almost up your game a bit because the support was unbelievable out there.”

Written by Ciarán Kennedy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.

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    Mute Suzanne Phelan
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    Aug 11th 2024, 11:37 AM

    Fionnuala Britton McCormack is such an amazing athlete. 5 Olympics she deserves a medal

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    Mute Phillip Smyth
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    Aug 11th 2024, 11:37 AM

    These games for us just keep on giving, well done lass.

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:53 PM

    Super running Finnoula, just super!! Well done

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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Aug 11th 2024, 3:07 PM

    A great achievement making 5 Olympic Games,well done today. You have always represented yourself and Ireland well. Thank you

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    Mute Peter J H
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    Aug 11th 2024, 8:21 PM

    To give a little context, she did her seasons best time. Finished 28th out of 91 starters. 11 competitors didn’t even finish the race. Bettered her time at two previous Olympics. Only 4 people older than her in the race. She qualified by running a 2.26.19 time at the Valencia marathon in December ‘23 which was just 31 seconds inside the qualifying time. All this just 6 months after giving birth to her third child. Jaysus

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    Mute Gerry Lamont
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    Aug 11th 2024, 11:42 AM

    Well done to her but with an 8 minute gap to catch a leader maybe it is time to retire.

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    Mute Peter Lalor
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:10 PM

    @Gerry Lamont: She finishes top 30 in the world at an Olympics, and breaks an Irish appearance record doing it, and you think she should retire. Would you be inside the top 30 in the world at anything in your life Gerry?

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:30 PM

    @Gerry Lamont: Willie Nelson was asked if he ever considered retiring. He thought for a while and answered “Basically, my life consists of playing a little golf and singing songs for people. Which do you want me to give up?” Same here. As long as she wants to run……….!

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    Mute Toca Stories
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:33 PM

    @Gerry Lamont: have u ever done a marathon. I have It’s bloody tough and it took me over four hours….to come 8mins behind the best in the world is some achievement…to qualify and participate in five Olympics is an even greater achievement

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:55 PM

    @Toca Stories: well done that is some achievement

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    Mute Toca Stories
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    Aug 11th 2024, 1:39 PM

    @Sean Money: thanks. I hated every minute of it to be honest. Very tough

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    Mute Sean Parker
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    Aug 11th 2024, 2:58 PM

    @Gerry Lamont: she can retire or step back a bit when she feels she can no longer compete at the level she wants to compete at. Swear to God. Some people are so clueless. She’s qualified and running at the Olympics here.

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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Aug 11th 2024, 3:02 PM

    @Gerry Lamont: are you going to tog out yourself Gerry,or just run your mouth ?

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    Mute john o malley
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    Aug 11th 2024, 9:45 PM

    @Gerry Lamont: I don’t know why 32 people agree with you,she is brilliant ,may she do five more

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    Mute qffaffaf affrafrfraf
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:43 PM

    Makes history with a 28th place finish?

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:45 PM

    @qffaffaf affrafrfraf: First Irish woman to compete in 5 Olympics.

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    Mute Brian
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    Aug 11th 2024, 12:52 PM

    @qffaffaf affrafrfraf: It’s got to the stage now where people can’t even be arsed reading the subheadline…

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Aug 11th 2024, 1:01 PM

    @qffaffaf affrafrfraf: well I think she has 5 gold medals now so she has done pretty well

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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Aug 11th 2024, 3:04 PM

    @Brian: that clown probably can’t read

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    Mute Ted Daly
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:19 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: and spent her career mostly just making up the numbers in the Olympics

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:45 PM

    @Ted Daly: You don’t run in the Olympic Marathon unless you achieve the qualifying time. But I suppose it means that the vast majority of Olympic athletes are just ‘making up the numbers’?

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Aug 11th 2024, 3:45 PM

    Well Done, Lara Gillespie!! Another great result from one of our cyclists on the track. Just think what we could do if we had a decent veledrome!! #COYGIG! Onwards & Upwards!

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    Mute Dermot Blaine
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    Aug 11th 2024, 9:08 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Lara was, as usual, brilliant.

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    Mute Áine G
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    Aug 11th 2024, 1:30 PM

    Super, at least she doesn’t cheat.

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    Mute Nikki Swift
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    Aug 11th 2024, 11:27 PM

    well done to each and everyone who took part in the Olympics. to all the sports stars and the volunteers,the people of France wel done ya’s put on a great show

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    Mute Martin Finnerty
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    Aug 11th 2024, 4:32 PM

    Dublin hosting the Olympics in 2072???

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Aug 11th 2024, 7:00 PM

    @Martin Finnerty: That’s mad, Ted!

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    Mute Richie Whelan
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    Aug 11th 2024, 3:51 PM

    Ukraine are now the aggressors
    Where’s the outrage .

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Aug 11th 2024, 4:17 PM

    @Richie Whelan: It’s defence. Drawing Russian troops away from SE Ukraine.

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Aug 11th 2024, 4:39 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: a classic pincer movement. Draw the rooskies in then……blam!! War won in no time

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    Mute Sean Buckley
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    Aug 11th 2024, 4:45 PM

    @Richie Whelan: Best form of defence is Attack!

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    Mute Richie Whelan
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:14 PM

    @Sean Buckley: media didn’t tell Irish people to be outraged
    So stupid paddy sees no wrong.

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