Ireland: Athletics Ireland gets an early Christmas present From Aviva

• Aviva announces Irish Schools Athletic 2011 sponsorship deal

Irish athletics received an early Christmas present today, Thursday 2 December 2010 with the announcement that Aviva, the country’s leading insurer, will sponsor Irish School’s Athletics for the next three years. The announcement was made at Aviva Stadium by Jim Dowdall, chief executive of Aviva Group Ireland, Michael Hunt, president of the Irish Schools’ Athletics Association, Olympian and World Champion Eamonn Coghlan. 

Lending their support to the new partnership at the launch were former Schools’ Champions Eamonn Coghlan, Ailis McSweeney and Brian Gregan. Reflecting the high quality of athletes coming up through schools’ athletics at present, Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner and Patrick O’Connor, were also there to celebrate the sponsorship announcement and what is without doubt a major vote of confidence in our underage athletes and stars of the future.

Aviva has a strong track record in athletics sponsorship as it has been the premier sponsor of athletics including schools and grassroots programmes in the UK for over a decade. Jim Dowdall, chief executive of Aviva Group Ireland is confident that that experience can be of real benefit to schools athletics in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, he said: “When it comes to sponsorship most people think naturally of Aviva Stadium of which we are very proud, by working with the Irish Schools Athletics Association we are again investing in sports at the heart of the community. Irish Schools Athletics is a great way to actively encourage young people to lead healthier lifestyles and get involved in athletics.”

“Down through the years we have seen Ronnie Delany, Eamonn Coghlan, Sonia O’Sullivan, Derval O’Rourke, David Gillick, Olive Loughnane and Robert Heffernan to name just a few emerge from schools’ athletics to challenge at the highest level at World Championships and Olympic Games and it is my fervent hope that this sponsorship will help unearth and nurture the next generation of champion Irish athletes,” he added.

Michael Hunt, president of the Irish Schools’ Athletics Association, said: “I am delighted to have Aviva on board as sponsors. The sponsorship comes at an ideal time with the 2012 Olympics around the corner. This I am certain will lead to an upsurge in the numbers participating in schools’ athletics and secondly in the identification of future Olympians. This sponsorship is greatly appreciated and I look forward to working with Aviva in promoting what is best in schools’ athletics.”

Speaking at the announcement, former World Athletics Champion Eamonn Coghlan said: “Aviva’s sponsorship of the Irish Schools’ Athletic Association is the most important and welcome sponsorship in Irish Athletics. Their support will enable the future stars of Irish Athletics to blossom over the years.”

2011 promises to be another significant year in the history of Irish Schools’ Athletics. The cross country season will begin in January with 14 regions ready to kick start the championships which will involve over 17,000 young athletes. This will culminate in the Aviva All-Ireland Schools’ Cross Country Championships in ALSAA, Dublin on the 12 March 2011. Two weeks later the Irish Schools’ will be welcoming the schools’ associations from England, Scotland and Wales for the Aviva Schools’ Cross Country International on 26 March 2011 in Greenmount Campus, County Antrim.

May and June will bring the Schools’ Track & Field programme with 14 regions once again qualifying first to their provincial finals and then to the Aviva All-Ireland T&F Final in Tullamore on the 4 June 2011. This will involve over 20,000 young athletes.

For the intermediate age group there is the Aviva Tailteann Interprovincial at Santry on 25 June 2011. This will be followed by the Aviva Schools’ Track & Field International, which this year will be in Cardiff, Wales on 16 July 2011.

For more information see www.athleticsireland.ie or www.aviva.ie

-ends-

For further information:

Aviva
Iris Cribbin, Fleishman-Hillard
Telephone: +353 (0)1 618 8439
Mobile: +353 (0)87 414 2881
Email: iris.cribbin@fleishmaneurope.com

Athletics Ireland/ISAA
John Shields
Telephone: +353 (0)1 886 9933
Mobile: +353 (0)87 263 3376
Email: johnshields@athleticsireland.ie