Ireland has no shortage of medal-winning athletes, and now a new one has entered the foil with 80-year old Corkman Michael Kiely taking the gold medal in the 2025 WMA World Indoor Championships Mens 800 Run 80-84 in Gainesville, Florida last night.
Kiely's time clocked in at 3:09:35 for his 800m and finished nearly four seconds ahead of second place. His final push on the last stretch sums up the incredible race he had, and how his 1st place finish was more than deserved.
You can watch his brilliant finish to the race below!
Yet, this is not the first time Kiely has seen great success. Kiely has been running with Mallow AC and earlier this year he set a world record in a 4x800m team which smashed the previous record by two and a half minutes.
Michael Kiely of Mallow AC was part of the Irish M80 4x800m relay team which won & set a New World Record in their age...
Posted by Shanballymore GAA on Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Michael Kiely: Pride of Mallow
Speaking with Cathal Dennehy of the Irish Independent in 2022, Kiely conceded that he has "no idea" if he was training himself with the right workouts, but he consistently trains six days a week. Though he does not have the high-tech facilities that most gold medal winning athletics runners do, he does not complain and makes do with what he has regardless.
I have no running track.
My wife cuts a track in the field with a lawnmower and that’s my training ground.
They’re talking about putting a track in Mallow, but I might be growing flowers before that comes.
Despite being acutely aware of his age, he defies it every time he hits the track, and now, three years later in 2025, he has a gold medal under his belt. Coupling that with the world record earlier this year, he seems to be hitting a new prime in his running career with no sign of slowing down just yet.
He will definitely be one to watch when he races next, and he will be wearing the green jersey of Ireland with great pride.
