A Lisburn athlete who claimed gold at the World Half Marathon Masters Championship has credited her legendary boxing father for inspiring her comeback from serious ill-health.
Cathy McCourt spent the most of 2022 in and out of hospital after being struck down by a severe illness caused by a brain injury.
It almost forced McCourt into retirement, but one year later she returned to claim a remarkable victory in Torun, Poland.
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McCourt's father is the legendary former boxer Jim McCourt, an Olympic, Commonwealth and European medallist who was ranked number one amateur boxer in the world for four years.
He was also inducted into the Irish Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame, and has obviously passed on his winning mentality to his daughter.
Cathy - who is a running coach and runs her own Personal Training and Weight Loss Clinic in Lisburn - stormed to victory in April when she won gold at the World Half Marathon Masters Championship in Torun.
She got the all clear to return to athletics last November and used this competition in Torun as a motivation to get back to full health and fitness.
Cathy returned to full training in January and went from strength to strength, and credits her coach for structuring her training so she could peak for the Worlds in April.
"This time last year I never dreamt this would be possible as I had to come back from a place I had never been before.That was frightening," she said.
"My dad is my mentor. He told me never to give up. This is what I would tell anyone, especially young athletes growing up today."
Cathy has won almost every Championship on the road and XC as a junior and senior, and competed at International level since she was school age.
But she believes winning the World Half Marathon in Torun and getting silver in the F50 10k Road Race ranks as one of her greatest achievements.
"Champions rarely come from ideal circumstances," she added.
"I had to work so hard and believe to achieve . Dreams do come true and I returned from Poland as a World Masters Champion."
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