The Chairman of the Boards

Pherekydes

The European Athletics federation is doing a series about European indoor legends in the lead up to the Euro Indoors. The latest is our own Eamonn Coghlan. Interesting to note is that he will be spending more time coaching in the near future:

Euro Legends: Week 2 - Eamonn Coghlan (IRL)
23 January 2007
IRISH track legend Eamonn Coghlan was dubbed the "Chairman of the Boards" due to his astonishing feats indoors so it was little surprise he struck gold in his one and only European Indoor Championships.

His small frame was perfectly suited to the tight bends and claustrophobic nature of indoor running breaking five world records (four mile and one 1500m) and winning 52 of his 70 races over 1500m and the mile indoors between 1974 and 1987.

Yet due to his commitment to the US indoor circuit the Dubliner raced sparingly in Europe and his only crack at the European Indoor Championships came in Vienna 1979.

Coghlan went into the competition as a firm favourite after starting the campaign in rip roaring form. He twice broke the world indoor mile record that season with 3:55.0 and 3:52.6 and was unbeaten indoors.

He also knew he was strong after finishing sixth in the Irish national cross country championships and although he was up against West German Thomas Wessinghage and Scot John Robson he went into the competition as a clear favourite.

"I had beaten Wessinghage during the indoor season and I knew I could beat him again," said Coghlan. "In Vienna it was actually the first time I had ever raced on a banked 200 metre track and to me that felt like an outdoor track. I was used to racing on tracks that were 11 laps to the mile in the US, so although some of rivals might not have liked the tight indoor bends I was used to much tighter."

eamon_coghlanBut although Coghlan may have started a clear favourite
he still had a point to prove to himself and to the Irish
people about his ability to perform in the
championship environment. In 1976 in Montreal he had
finished fourth in the 1500m at the Olympic Games and
was devastated to miss out on a medal. At the 1978
European Championships he had to settle for the 1500m
silver medal behind Steve Ovett so could he finally climb the
top of the podium?

In a slow run first half of the race Coghlan made the
decisive move with 200 metres remaining. He unleashed
his trademark kick and accelerated clear of the opposition to
win in 3:41.8 by almost half a second from Wessinghage
followed by Great Britain's Robson.

"Whether indoors or outdoors I always made one move and
one move only to try and win a race whether that was with
100m, 150m or 200m to go," explained Coghlan.

"I won quite comfortably and I still have a photo of the
finish in my snooker room," he added.

Crucially he also proved to Ireland his ability to win big races
and he said of the victory: "It confirmed my status in Ireland
as a championship runner. I remember my brother and his
friends were in the stands and duly broke into
"Anhran na Bhfiann or The Soldier's Song" the Irish
national anthem."

Coghlan also fondly remembers the reaction on his return to
his homeland where he was greeted by a joyous scene. The
Irish had turned out en masse to greet Coghlan at the airport
and he added: "I remember my brand new baby
daughter Suzanne was at the airport. I put the gold medal
around her neck and that was the picture which appeared in all
the Irish newspapers."

His gold medal winning performance in Vienna kick-started
a glorious career in which he continued to excel on the boards breaking more world records and winning many more races.

He finished fourth again in the 1980 Moscow Olympics but his greatest triumph came at the inaugural World Championships in 1983 where he famously clenched a fist in delight more than 100 metres from the finish line because he knew he had secured the gold medal in the 5000m.

Coghlan even signed off his career in style by becoming the first man to run a sub four-minute mile in his 40s. He ran 3:58.15 aged 41 - inevitably indoors - in February 1994 before hanging up his spikes.

"I always felt my career was not fulfilled because I had not won an Olympic medal so I become motivated to become the first man over 40 to run a sub-four minute mile," added Coghlan.

On retiring Coghlan took up a role as director of fundraising and marketing at Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Dublin although he is set to retire after more than a decade in the role in three months' time.

He is married and involved in athletics today coaching a group of young athletes including his promising 18-year-old son, John, who is currently one of Ireland's leading junior athletes at Metropolitan Harriers in Dublin. John is the youngest of Coghlan's four children with the oldest Suzanne, 28, due to marry later this year. His oldest son Eamonn is a golf professional in the US with Michael, 19, an actor on the stage in the UK.

Coghlan is also currently writing a book "Chairman of the Boards" which will be released later this year.

But does he still keep an interest in running?

"I try to," he said. "I usually go out for between 30 and 45 minutes but I never time myself. "Once I'm retired it will give me more time to coach athletics and spend more time at the track," said Coghlan. "I enjoy teaching the young guys at the track and seeing the improvements they make."

thirtyfoot

Slow coach wrote:

The European Athletics federation is doing a series about European indoor legends in the lead up to the Euro Indoors. The latest is our own Eamonn Coghlan. Interesting to note is that he will be spending more time coaching in the near future:

What a legend! I reckon if Coghlan coached you and was giving advice, you'd listen.

Clum

Tingle wrote:

What a legend! I reckon if Coghlan coached you and was giving advice, you'd listen.

Many years ago I competed for my school in athletics and was invited to an 'elite athletes' camp in Gormanston one Easter weekend. Coghlan gave a talk to everybody who attended and not one of us coughed, sneezed or even moved in our seats from the moment he entered the room. Awe inspiring stuff...unfortunately for me it only kept me going for another 2 years....

ZiggyStardust

Was at the same weekend in gormanstown. Was a great weekend and Coughlan did a few sessions with us and I remember everyone was trying to impress. Well I was anyway but ended up knackered.
Wonder why they never continued these weekends.