Dunshaughlin mother and daughter represent their country on the world stage

Sporting talent is in the blood for a Dunshaughlin family that saw both mother and daughter represent Ireland in their chosen sports within weeks of each other.

Siobhan Foley (54), took home a silver medal at the World Masters Mountain Running Championships on the island of Madeira last month whilst her daughter, Ava (23), came 12th in the 2023 IPF World Classic Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships held in Romania just two weeks earlier.

Fellow runner Karen Crean from Oldcastle (formerly of St Bridget's Athletic Club and currently a member of North Westmeath AC) also came away with two silver medals at the same competition.

Starting running later in life, Siobhan says she is thrilled to be sharing success with her daughter.

"It was amazing to be selected or even asked to go on an Irish team to represent your country,” she said. “My 23-year-old daughter represented Ireland for powerlifting in Romania. She came 12th overall in the world and she is heading to Budapest in two weeks time to represent Ireland again at the European Championships,” she added.

“So in the space of two weeks both mum and daughter represented Ireland abroad in their chosen sport which is really special for us.”

Siobhan who only discovered mountain running this year says she was “shocked” to be chosen for team Ireland.

"I thought it was a joke, it all happened very quickly, I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

“I started running when I was in my mid 40s and discovered mountain running only very recently at the beginning of this year. I was training for an event in Donegal which took place last weekend, the Seven Sisters Mountain Race.

"In the build up to that I took part in a race in Donegal called the Bluestack Way organised by Jason Black, a famous mountaineer who scaled Everest several times and took part in expeditions all over the world. I came third in that race and Karen was the first female in the race.

“The scouts were out looking for people to represent Ireland in the mountain running team, they saw our results and that’s how we were chosen!

Both Siobhan and Karen overcome hugely testing conditions and stiff opposition to claim medals as she explains:

"It was very, very tough. There were two different races, there was a 9km uphill race in the beautiful mountains of Madeira but the terrain was very tough. It was all uphill if you can imagine just climbing and climbing and it was 32 degrees.”

Despite the gruelling uphill climb in sizzling temperatures, Siobhan, a member of Dunboyne Athletic Club and Karen battled on to secure silver medals. In fact Karen just two days later competed in the longer distance race and again earned herself team silver.

"I had fierce competition on the day in my age category, I was side by side with a Portuguese girl and I knew I had to beat her because there was a chance she could have knocked us off a podium place so you just focus on that and you just keep thinking to yourself, I could actually win a world medal here,” said Siobhan.