Purcell settling in at villanova

Meath's 2014 Young Sportsperson of the Year Harry Purcell is settling in nicely at Villanova University, one of the leading Track and Field colleges in the United States.

He received the award last January at the eighth annual Meath Sports Awards in conjunction with the Meath Chronicle / Cusack Hotel Group.

At Villanova, Harry follows in the illustrious footsteps of Irish middle distance legends Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O'Sullivan. He competes in the 400 metres and the 800 metres and one of his coaches was Villanova legend Eamonn Coghlan.

The Trim athlete set the All-Ireland Schools record in the 800 metres in 2014 with a time of 1:49.42. he was also successful in the 400 metres in 2013 and 2014.

He holds the top times in the history of the Irish Schools Championships in both the 400 metres and the 800 metres and was part of a 4x400 metre relay team which finished sixth at the Senior European Indoor Championships in Prague, Czech Republic this year.

Harry was 10th at the European Junior Championships in Sweden earlier this year and Was the Irish Junior indoor 800 metres champion in 2014 and 2015, as well as the Irish Junior outdoor 800m champion.