It was a typically cold January day in 2015 when Maurice Ahern and I attended the West Leinster Schools cross-country championships, next to the Pope’s Cross. We were there to support the competing Donore Harriers athletes, and to make connections with local schools.
I was chatting with juvenile club member Angie Gonia when I saw an overdressed young lad whizzing past on his way to winning the Minor Boys race. As I made my way towards the finish-funnel, I could see the young athlete respectfully shake hands with the other leading competitors.
I politely asked the new champion if he was a member of an athletics club. He wasn’t sure! “My Mam might have put me down with a club”, he told me. I came away from that short meeting having wrote ‘Louis O’Loughlin’ and ‘Moyle Park College’ in my notepad.
I wrote to the principal of the school, more in hope than expectation that the nippy youngster would join the ranks of Donore Harriers. A few weeks later I approached the woman whom the new All-Ireland Schools minor champion gave a hug. Mrs. O’Loughlin (Deborah) immediately called over her husband (Andy) and I was informed that Louis would like to do a trial at Donore Harriers. Happy days!
As it happened, Louis was attached to Tallaght AC, but apparently only did a couple of training sessions there and did not return. Louis happily settled into the juvenile squad at Donore Harriers and quickly started to establish himself as a rising star in Irish athletics.
Louis has won something like 20 national titles in schools, juvenile and junior grades. Last summer he retained his national junior 800m title and took bronze in the national senior 800m. He won the Dublin senior 800m, when still aged 15 – and has represented Ireland in the Schools International (the SIABs) XC and track, the Celtic Games, European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), the European Under 18s and Under 20s championships.
He has an 800m PB of 1.50.02 set at the International Flanders Meet at Oordedem, Belgium in 2019 – and has won several awards from Athletics Ireland, the Dublin Athletics Board, the Echo Newspaper…
Despite all his successes, Louis remains a down-to-earth young man who is always supportive of other athletes. He’s a special talent, a rare gem, and a pleasure to coach. I really hope that he will go on to fulfil his Olympic Games dream. Gerry Naughton (coach)
STANDARD QUESTIONS
PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin, 2001
WHERE ARE YOU BEING EDUCATED? TUD, Tallaght. My secondary school was Moyle Park College in Clondalkin
WHAT IS YOUR PLANNED CAREER PATH? I haven’t planned a career path yet, but I would like to either branch out into athletics or music.
IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? 2015
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? Oddly enough Donore Harriers chose me! My coach Gerry Naughton approached me in the West Leinster cross-country championships – and wrote to the Principal in my school (Moyle Park College) inviting me to do a trial period at the club.
WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? I was with Tallaght AC for like a week but didn’t return. About one year later I joined Donore Harriers.
DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? I used to do Gaelic football and hurling for the Round Towers club in Clondalkin. However, as I progressed in athletics, I gave up the GAA to concentrate on my running.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? The 800m because it is very entertaining to watch.
WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? Athlete
WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? I look up to many athletes such as Mo Farah, Eliud Kipchoge, and Donovan Brazier, the American middle-distance runner.
SOCIAL QUESTIONS
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? The Great Gatsby
WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Hall and Oates 2019
WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?
1. Rocky
2. Borat
3. Straight Outta Compton
FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? America, Florida
WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? I like to DJ and produce music.
IF DISERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
1. Baby Come Back – Player
2. Maneater – Hall and Oates
3. Love Train – O’Jays
ATHLETICS QUESTIONS
WHO ARE YOUR COACHES? Gerry Naughton and Ciaran O’Flatherty
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? I don’t have one! But I am proud to say that I have won every national title in my age grade since I joined Donore Harriers. <<Here is a link to Louis winning the National Under 15 XC title, with Fathi Aden in 2nd – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uIdHSUC8jY >>
WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)? 1.50.02 for 800m and 3.56.7 for 1500m. <<Here is a link to Louis running his 800m PB at the IFAM Meet in Oordegem 2019 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfw9_Dxt6ik >>
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Probably 400m and 1km reps.
DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? That would be pyramids on the track. Our coaches try their best to get us working hard and pyramids is certainly a way to do it. It’s really hard when you have to do 400m, 800m, 1,000m, 1,200m, and then back down. In the end I just trust the process because hard work pays off!
WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? I would do just recovery runs for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I do speed sessions on Wednesday – and Saturdays, which might be hills or tempos. We concentrate more on speedwork as the track season approaches.
DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? I remember our squad was in Belgium for the Euro Cross XC races at Hannut. I was in transition-year at the time, so I had to perform in a school musical and had to go over later with my mate David Campbell. Our flight was like 2 o’clock in the morning! When I got there, I was very tired and really wanted to sleep before my race. Well, that’s what I tried to do! Then I heard something hit of the window. It was a coat-hanger thrown by my teammate Abdel Laadjel. We both laughed, and I went to sleep. It happened again! But this time I got so mad I nearly threw a chair out the window cause all I had was 2-hours of sleep. All I could remember was David Campbell shouting “NO LOUIS, NOT THE CHAIR! “ It was very funny at the time.
WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT DONORE HARRIERS? I wouldn’t change much to be honest. Donore Harriers is a very welcoming place for everyone no matter their ability. The only thing I would change is to add colour and brightness to the place or to even add speakers, like a tannoy system, so as to play music as a motivation to athletes before training.
WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?
1. Ronnie Delany
2. Conor McGregor
3. Katie Taylor
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR BEST DISTANCE, 800m or 1,500m? I haven’t reached my full potential in either event. However, at the moment 800m is better regarding my achievements and personal best. But I do feel that I have better long-term potential in the 1,500m. For now, the focus is mostly on the 800m.
WHAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE – CROSS-COUNTRY, ROAD OR TRACK? Track is my thing. It’s fast and suits my pace, and there’s always a good vibe.
YOU PRESENTLY TRAIN WITH THE ACADEMY SQUAD AT DONORE HARRIERS. HOW IS THAT GOING FOR YOU? It’s going great! There’s a great group of athletes, who are a pleasure to train with. I wouldn’t be so motivated if it wasn’t for them helping me at training and supporting my journey. Now with the Covid-19 we unfortunately can’t train together. But our coaches have given us a training challenge to help keep us motivated in this lockdown period. I look forward to getting back to club training and banging out a few sessions with the lads.
YOU’VE HAD TO DEAL WITH INJURIES? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE INJURIES AND THE RECOVERY PROCESS? I had a stress fracture about 3 years ago. I was running in the All-Ireland Juvenile XC when I felt the pain. I won the race, but I wasn’t jubilant afterwards because the pain in my leg increased. I had to walk in a boot for 4 months and I did pool running every day until I was better. I remember how tough the training was compared to actual running. It’s so much harder cause you have to visualise yourself running on a road or in the park. Everyone else is just swimming past you and it’s hard to keep going because the water gets wavy due to the volume of people in the water. I’d do a pool run for about an hour, which is not only physically challenging but also mentally tough. You just must believe in why you are there and where you want to get to in your sport. You’ve gotta visualize the end goal, which for me is the Olympics. That’s what makes me work hard. After 4 months of being injured I was back in action stronger than ever. I would encourage anyone even if you are not injured to do pool running because there are many benefits from it.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS TRIP? AND WHY? Favourite athletics trip was to the Bauhaus International Junior Gala at Mannheim in Germany with the Irish team when I qualified for the European Under 20s. It was June 2019, and I ran in 40 degrees during one of the hottest periods ever in Europe. I had to run 1.50 for the 800 metres in that heat. It was a make-or-break race and my last chance to make the qualifying standard. I had run one B standard of 1.50.02 from the Oordegem Flanders Meet, but I needed to run another. Thank God I made it! I ran 1.50.28. I was dead after it, the heat was so stifling! Even the ice baths were warm! It was that hot that the cold shower was the only relief. The cold shower was the best thing about the trip, but I was very happy at having make the qualifying standard.
YOU USUALLY ENTERTAIN YOUR COLLEAGUES (AND OTHERS) BY PLAYING THE PIANO AT AIRPORTS, TRAIN STATIONS, AIRB&Bs ON AWAY TRIPS. WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO PLAY THE PIANO? I learned to play the piano in a place called Jams Music in Clondalkin Village. It’s my Dad’s best mate’s place. I met this guy called Rob and he was the one who taught me how to play a few songs on the piano. I tried to learn sheet music, but I couldn’t get the hang of it! Rob told me that I had a good ear for music and ever since then I tried to make my own songs and learn how to play more songs by ear.
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU EAT 8 WEETABIX ON THE MORNING OF A RACE? I used to! But now I only eat 4 but will probably start back to 8 again soon hahahaha!
YOU HAVE REPRESENTED THE FRENCH CLUB S.P.N. VERNON IN THE COUPE DE FRANCE COMPETITION. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? I was offered to run for the French club on the day of my birthday in 2018. I went with my squad on a day trip to Sligo, which included a session with John Travers, Daragh Fitzgibbon, Ray Hynes and a few local athletes. After the session Dermot McDermott asked me if I would like to run over in France. Gerry, my coach, agreed that I should go for the experience of running in Europe.
In the Coupe De France competition each club is permitted to enter one non-club athlete to their team for every event. I ran in the 4 x 1,000m relay. I brought the team from 12th to 4th on Leg 2 and we won the silver medal. A man named David Grard did all the arrangements and it was a great weekend socially, it felt different! I enjoyed every minute! I was offered to go back to represent the club again, but I was injured at the time. Maybe in the future!
DO ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE A CONNECTION WITH ATHLETICS? My mother Deborah used to do athletics as a child in the Community Games. She later was a sprinter with Clondalkin AC. My grandad Sammy used to tell me a story about how he ran 16-miles in a race in his bare feet on the road, until the medics had to stop him because his feet were bleeding so badly.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE RACE? AND WHY? The most memorable race has to be the Schools International cross-country at Callendar Park in Falkirk in 2016. I was only a school’s junior grade – and I was scared about competing in an international event for the first time. Somehow God was with me that day! It was only a 4km race, but the early pace was fast.
The race started with a 200 metres incline, then downhill for 200 metres. There were loads of twists and turns. The most memorable part of the race was the last 2km. There were British athletes at the front. I sprinted past them and they tried to keep up. It was very tight the whole way round until the last 500 metres. I went as fast as I could along the straight before the downhill finish. I got clear of the field and raced through a stretch of forest having to dodge tree branches. Then I ran into the sunlight and turning a slight right I had just 100 metres to run on a downhill slope to the finish. The adrenaline was pumping, and I was charging like a bull. I couldn’t see much due to the blurriness. I began celebrating with 50 metres to go, not believing what was just happening!
I remember my Dad told me that he recorded the time and it said 12 mins something. This was later confirmed as 12.54. The pre-race favourite Harris Meir of England came 2nd in 13.00. I felt so proud standing on the podium. That was the most memorable race so far!
YOU WON THE NATIONAL JUNIOR 800m in 2019 AND AGAIN IN 2020. THEY WERE BOTH DRAMATIC RACES! WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THOSE TWO RACES? Both races were extremely competitive! I remember them so well. In 2019 myself and Mark Miller went through the bell at a really comfortable pace of 60 seconds. We were side by side and decided to pick up the pace for the last 400m. At 200m to go I fell back slightly as my mind was focused on the fact that I had to run in my own age group on the following day. I remember my coach Gerry telling me to treat it as a qualifying heat as if I had to run a final on the following day. This was considered good preparation for the European Under 20s championship. I wasn’t thinking about going eyeballs out, but when I saw Daragh McIlhenny pass me all those thoughts went away. He had beaten me in the Community Games over the same distance, so I told myself I’m not letting him beat me again. I stormed down the home straight like a charging bull and oddly enough Daragh and Mark kept moving more to the right and I gained the edge running on the inside. With 10 metres to go all three of us were nearly diving for the line and thank God I managed to edge out the win.
<<Here is a link to the 2019 National Junior 800m final – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh-0glwXFbw >>
In 2020 I remember the 800s were very tough due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. I felt very rusty beforehand, but after the heats I was more relaxed and focused. I ran 2.02 in my heat due to the other athletes trying to get PBs. I went straight home afterwards – and 4 hours later I returned to Santry to race in the final. Gerry told me to take the bull by the horn and run fast from the start. I was not to repeat my slower first lap of 2 weeks previous in the senior championship 800m final. When the gun went off, I ran eyeballs out hoping for the best. I was at the front and went through the bell in 54/55. My main rival Jake Bagge of Ferrybank AC stayed right on my tail the whole way round. We kept a high tempo. I was worried about losing my stride pattern with 300 metres to go. At 200m to go I was aware of Jake being in close order and I knew that he wasn’t going to give up easily. I just had to remain focused. I kept telling myself to push on and don’t give up till after the finish line. I won by 5 metres in 1.50.93, and Jake got a massive PB in 2nd place. I felt unwell for a while afterwards. If I didn’t have to run a heat and had a couple of preparation races leading up to the championships, I probably would have achieved my 2020 goal of a sub-1.50. I later found out that my time was a new championship record.
<<Here is a link to the final lap of Louis retaining his national junior 800m crown – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYdFKytIxzc >>
YOU PLACED 3rd IN THE NATIONAL SENIOR 800m IN 2020. IN HINDSIGHT, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE WON THAT RACE? On reflectionI think I could have won it! I needed to have kicked earlier. Afterall, I was second from last at the bell, so I left myself with too much to do on the last lap.
WHAT IS YOUR BIG TARGET IN ATHLETICS? My big target is to do what everyone speaks of and that’s to qualify for the Olympic Games. That has been my dream since I was in primary school. I want to be able to live the rest of my life knowing that I made it to the biggest stage in sport.
Finally, here is a link to Louis competing in the European Under 18s at Gyor, Hungary in 2018 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uIdHSUC8jY >>