IRELAND’S fastest man has his eyes set on the Olympics as he said he wants to “do Ireland proud”.
Israel Olatunde, from Louth, is a sprinting star and holder of the Irish 100-metres record, which he set at just 10.17 seconds.
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And he is hoping to beat that again when he heads to the SPAR European Athletics Championships in Rome this July – and then make the Olympics.
He told The Irish Sun: “Last year’s European Championships were so special to me. That’s where I broke the National 100-metre record.
“After the Europeans, there’ll be the National Championship at the end of June and by then I’ll hopefully be able to have that qualification for the Paris Olympics.
“So that’s a huge goal of mine this season that I’m ready to attack and chase. It’s a really exciting summer ahead.”
Olatunde is currently training in Florida and is ranked 116th in the world.
He said “the possibility of getting better” pushes him and added he wants “to do Ireland proud”.
He added: “I want to become the best athlete I can become in my career. That’s what keeps me going.
“I think if, no matter what level I can finish, as long as I have done my best – then I’ll be happy.”
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He continued: “I think that actually should be everyone’s goal in life and be the best they can be in whatever they choose.
“Life is very short. You have to pick something you love and enjoy. You just have to give your all to see what becomes of it.”
As a kid in Dundalk, he quickly decided sprinting was his future.
Olatunde said: “I was always one of the fastest kids. I guess I was more physically developed more than other kids when I was younger. So I guess I gravitated towards soccer and GAA.”
On a mission
Recognising his talents, Olatunde was on a mission to find his passion.
He said: “I wanted to try something new, something a bit more relaxed.
“Soccer and GAA can be a very hostile and toxic environment. So I was looking for something a bit more relaxed, I could just always keep fit [with].
“So my sister used to do running, so I would follow her to her training sessions and from there, I fell in love and things just took off.”
Huge support
Olatunde said his school St Mary’s College, Dundalk and coach Gerry McArdle backed him from the very start.
His family, who moved to Ireland from Nigeria 22 years ago, have also been a huge support for him throughout his journey.
And he is hoping there will be other Irish fans in Rome this summer supporting Team Ireland.
This year, Spar Ireland is planning to send a lucky fan over to the 2024 European Athletics Championships
‘Waves of Irish fans’
Israel said: “I remember seeing waves of Irish fans in Munich. I’m excited to see waves of Irish fans in Rome.
“It’s really exciting as well that Spar are sending some fans over to the championship, so it’s going to be great to see all the Irish fans.”
To win a three-day trip for two to hand-deliver a SPAR care package of Irish comforts to the sprint stars at the 2024 European Championships in Rome, SPAR shoppers are being asked to send messages of support for Israel and Rhasidat.
Details can be found on www.spar.ie or @SPAR_Ireland on Instagram.
