Catherina McKiernan

Catherina McKiernan (born 30 November 1969 in Cornafean, County Cavan) is a long-distance runner from Ireland, who competes in the marathon, 10,000 metres and cross country.

McKiernan was blighted by injury for a large part of 1999 and 2000 which stalled her progress and forced her to miss the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia but she helped commentate on the Games for Radio Telefís Éireann the state broadcaster for Ireland. In November 2000 she married Damien O’Reilly. Lack of fitness forced McKiernan to pull out of the 2004 Summer Olympics, in Athens, Greece.

Achievements

*1992
**1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships silver medal
*1993
**1993 IAAF World Cross Country Championships silver medal
*1994
**1994 IAAF World Cross Country Championships silver medal
**European Cross Country Championships gold medal
*1995
**1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships silver medal
*1997
**1997 IAAF World Cross Country Championships team bronze medal
**Berlin Marathon winner (fastest ever debut marathon by a woman)
**Dublin Women's Mini Marathon winner
*1998
**London Marathon winner
**Amsterdam Marathon winner
**Dublin Women's Mini Marathon winner
*1999
**Dublin Women's Mini Marathon winner
*2004
**Dublin Women's Mini Marathon winner

As well as appearing on the international stage Catherina has won national titles at:
**3000m (4): 1990-1993
**5000m (1): 1996
**cross country (3): 1990-1992She is the national record holder at the marathon distance with a time of 2 h 22 min 23 s