Siobhán Hoey
Encyclopedia
Siobháin Hoey is Irish
sportswoman from Portarlington, County Laois
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, and also national indoor champion (1993, 1996–1999). Hoey was national long jump
champion in 1989..Siobhain was the first National record holder for the Triple Jump when she broke the 12m barrier in indoor competition in Birmingham and the first Irish woman to break the 13m barrier. Her best recorded triple jump outdoors was 12 metres 38cm. Unfortunatelly for Siobhain she had over 30 jumps in excess of this distance (over 13m) but as no wind gauge(was available at these events the distances could not be submitted to the record books (a constant frustration to the athlete).
In Inter-Varsity competition year after year competing for UCD Siobhain struck gold in the Long-Jump,Triple-Jump,High Jump,4x100m and 4x400m relays.In 1992-1993 Siobhain captained the UCD women's squad.Siobhain represented Ireland in all age groups at the Celtic Games International,schools International competitions,the FISEC games, Universities International competitions, the Penn Relays(USA),Europa Cup etc. Siobhain captained the UCD team at International events in Louvain (Belgium), Birmingham, Boston University, Stonehill college and at the Penn relays. She was also selected captain of the Irish women's Europa Cup team.
team however as she was under age Aoife couldn't compete.Siobhain became the first Irish woman to drive a bobsleigh at Bob school in Lillehammer Norway.Siobhain(as brake athlete)competed in European Cup events with sled pilot Audrey Garland(winner of the famed British Gladiator competition)in Lillehammer and Igls Austria(2000). Siobhán and Lesley Fitzgerald were the first Irish women to compete at the FIBT World Championships
, doing so at Calgary, Canada in 2001
.. Siobhain(Brake), Lesley(Pilot) and Aoife(Hoey/alternate Brake)competed in European Cup and World Cup events in their bid to qualify for the Salt Lake City games in 2002. 2001-2002 Siobhán took a year off from being a teacher
in Dublin while Aoife took a study break. The sisters received partial funding from the Olympic Council of Ireland
but no commercial sponsorship.. Following the Games in 2002 the Hoey sister teamed up. Aoife in the driving seat and Siobhain as brake athlete. Together the girls contested European cup, World cup events,European and World Championships.The sisters placed 13th in the FIBT World Championships in Koenigssee Germany and placed among the medals in European start championships.Their bid for qualification for the 2006 games got off to a disasterous start when Siobain was badly injured in a freak accident in the ice house Calgary Canada. Mid training Siobhain's heel got hit by the sled runner and it cut right through to her achilles tendon.'the cut was so deep it didn't bleed initially. We rushed to the hospital to have her foot stiched. It was awful... I fainted in the hospital bathroom' (Aoife Hoey October 2005). Siobhain had to compete in both the Calgary and Lake Placid events with her foot stitched.'The pain was unreal,the stitches tore my skin during the events and blood covered the floor of the sled (Siobhain). The remaining events of the World Cup circuit went well. Sadly the Irish ladies missed qualification for the 2006 Winter Olympics
.
Following the last qualification event in Koenigssee Germany(Jan.2006)Siobhain hung up her spikes for good. As an officer of the IBSA she has worked tirelessly with young athletes. Recruiting David Connolly who qualified in the Skeleton event for the Torino games 2006 and Patrick Shannon who qualified in Skeleton for the Vancouver Games 2010. Recruiting and coaching Jennifer Corcoran who medalled with Aoife Hoey in the bobsleigh World Junior Championships and Claire Bergin who partnered Aoife for the Vancouver Games 2010. In acknowledgement of her contribution to Irish Winter Sport Siobhain was appointed Chef de Mission for the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver Canada 2010 (Siobhain was the first Irish woman to be given this role at either a Winter or Summer Games).
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportswoman from Portarlington, County Laois
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
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Athletics career
Siobhain's athletic career at National level began in 1980. She won the Leinster title and the Irish Juvenile Long jump title in every age group u/12 - u/19(having finished 2nd in the u/11 event).Siobhain was Irish school's South Leinster ,Leinster and National title holder in all age groups and still holds the Long-Jump record for the Leinster Junior age group(since 1986). A talented young sprinter also Siobhain brought the first ever National Community Games sprint medal to County Laois(100m u/12).She was also National Junior Long-Jump champion and record holder both indoor and outdoor.From 1993 to 2000, she was national champion in the triple jumpTriple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
, and also national indoor champion (1993, 1996–1999). Hoey was national long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
champion in 1989..Siobhain was the first National record holder for the Triple Jump when she broke the 12m barrier in indoor competition in Birmingham and the first Irish woman to break the 13m barrier. Her best recorded triple jump outdoors was 12 metres 38cm. Unfortunatelly for Siobhain she had over 30 jumps in excess of this distance (over 13m) but as no wind gauge(was available at these events the distances could not be submitted to the record books (a constant frustration to the athlete).
In Inter-Varsity competition year after year competing for UCD Siobhain struck gold in the Long-Jump,Triple-Jump,High Jump,4x100m and 4x400m relays.In 1992-1993 Siobhain captained the UCD women's squad.Siobhain represented Ireland in all age groups at the Celtic Games International,schools International competitions,the FISEC games, Universities International competitions, the Penn Relays(USA),Europa Cup etc. Siobhain captained the UCD team at International events in Louvain (Belgium), Birmingham, Boston University, Stonehill college and at the Penn relays. She was also selected captain of the Irish women's Europa Cup team.
Bobsleigh career
In 1999, Siobhán and sister, Aoife, were selected for Ireland's first women's bobsleighBobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
team however as she was under age Aoife couldn't compete.Siobhain became the first Irish woman to drive a bobsleigh at Bob school in Lillehammer Norway.Siobhain(as brake athlete)competed in European Cup events with sled pilot Audrey Garland(winner of the famed British Gladiator competition)in Lillehammer and Igls Austria(2000). Siobhán and Lesley Fitzgerald were the first Irish women to compete at the FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
, doing so at Calgary, Canada in 2001
FIBT World Championships 2001
The FIBT World Championships 2001 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Calgary, Alberta, Canada...
.. Siobhain(Brake), Lesley(Pilot) and Aoife(Hoey/alternate Brake)competed in European Cup and World Cup events in their bid to qualify for the Salt Lake City games in 2002. 2001-2002 Siobhán took a year off from being a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in Dublin while Aoife took a study break. The sisters received partial funding from the Olympic Council of Ireland
Olympic Council of Ireland
The Olympic Council of Ireland or OCI is the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Ireland. Its mission is "to develop and protect the Olympic Movement in Ireland, in accordance with the International Olympic Committee’s guiding document — the Olympic Charter."-History:After the First...
but no commercial sponsorship.. Following the Games in 2002 the Hoey sister teamed up. Aoife in the driving seat and Siobhain as brake athlete. Together the girls contested European cup, World cup events,European and World Championships.The sisters placed 13th in the FIBT World Championships in Koenigssee Germany and placed among the medals in European start championships.Their bid for qualification for the 2006 games got off to a disasterous start when Siobain was badly injured in a freak accident in the ice house Calgary Canada. Mid training Siobhain's heel got hit by the sled runner and it cut right through to her achilles tendon.'the cut was so deep it didn't bleed initially. We rushed to the hospital to have her foot stiched. It was awful... I fainted in the hospital bathroom' (Aoife Hoey October 2005). Siobhain had to compete in both the Calgary and Lake Placid events with her foot stitched.'The pain was unreal,the stitches tore my skin during the events and blood covered the floor of the sled (Siobhain). The remaining events of the World Cup circuit went well. Sadly the Irish ladies missed qualification for the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
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Following the last qualification event in Koenigssee Germany(Jan.2006)Siobhain hung up her spikes for good. As an officer of the IBSA she has worked tirelessly with young athletes. Recruiting David Connolly who qualified in the Skeleton event for the Torino games 2006 and Patrick Shannon who qualified in Skeleton for the Vancouver Games 2010. Recruiting and coaching Jennifer Corcoran who medalled with Aoife Hoey in the bobsleigh World Junior Championships and Claire Bergin who partnered Aoife for the Vancouver Games 2010. In acknowledgement of her contribution to Irish Winter Sport Siobhain was appointed Chef de Mission for the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver Canada 2010 (Siobhain was the first Irish woman to be given this role at either a Winter or Summer Games).