Paul Hession
100m and 200m Irish Record Holder
Name: Paul Hession
Date of Birth: 27th January, 1983
Event: 100m/200m
Club: Athenry A.C.
Personal Bests:
60m – 6.61 (2007)
100m – 10.18 (2007)
200m – 20.30 (2007)
Achievements:
• 2003 – World University Games Silver Medallist, Daegu (KOR)
• 2005 – World University Games Bronze Medallist, Izmir (TUR)
• Fastest Irishman in History in 60m, 100m and 200m
• National Under 23 Record Holder in 100m and 200m
• National Champion 200m 2004/ 2007; Silver Medallist 2003
• National Champion 100m 2007; Silver Medalist 2003
• National Champion 60m 2007
Representative Honours:
• 2002 – World Junior Championships, Kingston (JAM) – Semi-Finalist
• 2002 – European Championships, Munich (GER) – Heat
• 2003 – European Under-23 Championships, Bydgoszcz (POL) – 5th
• 2003 – World University Games, Daegu (KOR) – 2nd
• 2004 – World Indoor Championships, Budapest (HUN) – Heat
• 2005 – European Indoor Championships, Madrid (SPA) – Semi-Finalist
• 2005 – World Championships, Helsinki (FIN) – 2nd Round
• 2005 – World University Games Izmir (TUR) – 3rd.
• 2006 – European Championships, Gothenburg (SWE) – Semi-Finalist
• 2007 - European Indoor Championships Birmingham (GBR) - Finalist (7th)
• 2007 – World Championships, Osaka – Semi-Final
Progression:
100m 200m
2002 10.83 21.03
2003 10.53 20.86
2004 10.58 20.61
2005 10.46 20.80
2006 10.42 20.56
2007 10.18 20.30
Local Honours
• 4 times winner of Connacht Tribune Athlete of the Year
• 7 times winner of Connacht Tribune Sports Personality of the Month
• 12 times winner of Connacht Tribune Sports Star of the Week
• 5 times winner NUI, Galway Athlete of the Year
Comment
Paul Hession came to prominence in 2002 when he ran in the World Junior Championships and at the European Senior Championships, where he was the youngest member of the Irish team at 19. In 2003 he continued to make a breakthrough in winning the silver medal at the World University Championships. Paul twice missed qualification for the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 by a mere 0.02 seconds but competed in the World Championships in 2005 and the European Championships in 2006. He also backed up his World University silver with a bronze in 2005.
2007 was a huge year for Paul. In the Indoor season he broke the Irish record for 60m no less than 7 times, culminating in a place in the final of the European Indoor Championships. Then outdoors he ran Irish records of 10.18 and 20.30 for the 100m and 200m respectively. The latter time placed him 3rd in Europe at the end of the season, At the World Championships in Osaka, Paul qualified for the semi-final and placed 12th overall. He also competed in many of the top meets in Europe, including the World Athletics Final, 3 Golden Leagues and the 2 biggest Grand Prix in the UK.
Paul is currently taking time out from his Medical Studies in Galway to prepare fully for the Olympic Games in Beijing and beyond.
