Paul Hession
Encyclopedia
Paul Hession is an Irish
international track and field
athlete who specialises in the sprinting events, particularly the 200 metres
. He has won silver and bronze medals at the World University Games, a silver medallist in the 200 m in the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
and in 2007 made the leap into world class by setting 4 Irish national records
at 100 metres
and 200 metres. He has been dubbed "The Fastest Man in Ireland" and "The Fastest White Man in the World". He is a member of Athenry Athletics Club.
He is the cousin of The Saturdays
singer Una Healy
.
After competing in the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2002, Hession made his major championship debut for Ireland the same year, at the 2002 European Championships
where he finished 7th in his heat in a time of 21.28. The following year Hession missed the World Championships but was rewarded with silver medal in the 200 m at the World University Games
. Two years later Hession won bronze in the 2005 edition
. He followed this up with a disappointing run in his first World Athletics Championship
. In the 2006 European Championships
Hession ran poorly in the semi final and with a time of 20.80 was eliminated.
In 2007, Hession broke his first Irish national record by running the 100 m in 10.28 in Kalamata
. Only three weeks later he lowered the record to 10.18 in Vaasa
. When Hession stepped up to his preferred distance of 200 m he again broke the Irish record twice. First running 20.44 in the Sheffield
Grand prix, and then 20.30 in the Irish national championships in Dublin.
Hession competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
. He trained in Japan
in the build-up. On 18 August he won his 200 m quarter final to qualify for the semi-final in a time of 20.32, just after Usain Bolt
had a time of 20.29.
In the semi-final he finished fifth in a time of 20.38 however he missed out on a place in the final as only the top four qualified.
Hession had another very good season on the 2008 Grand Prix circuit, this time claiming second place in the 200 m at the World Athletics Final. On 15 November 2008 Paul was awarded the highly prestigious Athlete of the Year at the annual Athletics Association of Ireland awards dinner.
In the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona
. Hession made history as the first Irishman to qualify for the finals of the 200 metres
in the European Athletics Championships. Hession ran 20.71 seconds, finishing 6th in the final.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
international track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who specialises in the sprinting events, particularly the 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
. He has won silver and bronze medals at the World University Games, a silver medallist in the 200 m in the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied...
and in 2007 made the leap into world class by setting 4 Irish national records
Irish records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Ireland maintained by Athletics Association of Ireland .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitudea = aided road course according to IAAF rule 260.28...
at 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and 200 metres. He has been dubbed "The Fastest Man in Ireland" and "The Fastest White Man in the World". He is a member of Athenry Athletics Club.
He is the cousin of The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
singer Una Healy
Una Healy
Una Theresa Imogene Healy is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician, best known for being one fifth of girl group The Saturdays...
.
Career
2002 European Championships in Athletics
The 18th European Athletics Championships were held from 6 August to 11 August 2002 in the Olympic Stadium of Munich, Germany.-Track:1994 |1998 |2002 |2006 |2010 |...
where he finished 7th in his heat in a time of 21.28. The following year Hession missed the World Championships but was rewarded with silver medal in the 200 m at the World University Games
2003 Summer Universiade
The 2003 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXII Summer Universiade, took place in Daegu, South Korea.-Emblem:* The alphabet letter "U" and five stars, which is FISU's emblem, make up the basis of the emblem for the Daegu Universiade....
. Two years later Hession won bronze in the 2005 edition
2005 Summer Universiade
The 2005 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIII Summer Universiade, took place in İzmir, Turkey.-Emblem:The emblem is the letter “U”, inspired by the bird’s-eye view of the Gulf of İzmir.This shape has perfectly fit the letter “U” of Universiade,...
. He followed this up with a disappointing run in his first World Athletics Championship
2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
. In the 2006 European Championships
2006 European Championships in Athletics
The 19th European Athletics Championships were held in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 7 August and 13 August 2006. The competition arena was the Ullevi Stadium and the official motto "Catch the Spirit"...
Hession ran poorly in the semi final and with a time of 20.80 was eliminated.
In 2007, Hession broke his first Irish national record by running the 100 m in 10.28 in Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
. Only three weeks later he lowered the record to 10.18 in Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
. When Hession stepped up to his preferred distance of 200 m he again broke the Irish record twice. First running 20.44 in the Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
Grand prix, and then 20.30 in the Irish national championships in Dublin.
Hession competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. He trained in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the build-up. On 18 August he won his 200 m quarter final to qualify for the semi-final in a time of 20.32, just after Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt
The Honourable Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. , is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and the 4×100 metres relay...
had a time of 20.29.
In the semi-final he finished fifth in a time of 20.38 however he missed out on a place in the final as only the top four qualified.
Hession had another very good season on the 2008 Grand Prix circuit, this time claiming second place in the 200 m at the World Athletics Final. On 15 November 2008 Paul was awarded the highly prestigious Athlete of the Year at the annual Athletics Association of Ireland awards dinner.
In the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. Hession made history as the first Irishman to qualify for the finals of the 200 metres
2010 European Athletics Championships – Men's 200 metres
The men's 200 metres at the 2010 European Athletics Championships was held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on 29 and 30 July.-Medalists:-Records:-Schedule:-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Heat 3:-Heat 4:-Summary:-Semifinal 1:-Semifinal 2:...
in the European Athletics Championships. Hession ran 20.71 seconds, finishing 6th in the final.