This week on Run Republic's Next Generation, our attention turns to the West of Ireland and a rising talent from Galway City Harriers who is already making waves far beyond Connacht. At just 14 years of age, Angela Cielecka is turning heads across sprint tracks and long jump runways, with her rapid rise showing no signs of slowing down.
Cielecka’s stellar 2022 season saw her crowned Galway’s Most Successful Athlete, receiving the Athletics Ireland Galway Star Award, and also claiming the title of Connacht Juvenile Athlete of the Year. It was a year that marked her out as one to watch and in 2023, she more than lived up to the hype.
We caught up with Seamus Lynch, part of her coaching team led by International Masters Athlete Linda Nally, to reflect on her remarkable progress over the past year.
“For me, her greatest achievement so far has been winning the 100m at the Tailteann Games,” Lynch explains. “She was almost two years younger than some of her rivals, and she still beat them, including Katie Doherty and Leila Colfer, both hugely successful international athletes.”
That victory secured Angela a place on the Irish team for the Schools International in Glasgow the following month, where she added another remarkable milestone to her young career. Running the anchor leg of the relay against athletes up to four years her senior, she held her own and brought home her first international medal, a well-earned bronze.
Summer brought further success. Competing at the prestigious English U17 Championships in Birmingham, Cielecka leapt her way to seventh place in the long jump, posting identical best jumps to secure her spot among the top finishers. What makes this even more impressive is that she has two more years left in this age category, once again proving that age is no barrier to success when talent meets hard work.
Credit, too, must go to the dedicated coaching team behind her rise, led by Linda Nally for sprints and supported by Seamus Lynch; whose guidance has helped nurture her raw talent into serious competitive results.
As for 2024, Angela’s ambitions are anything but modest. Lynch revealed that she’s now targeting qualification for the European Junior Championships across 100m, Long Jump, and possibly the relay, by hitting the recently announced qualification standards. Closer to home, she also plans to defend her Irish Schools and Club National titles in both the 100m and Long Jump.
Representing her club Galway City Harriers and her school Taylor’s Hill, Angela Cielecka is already an athlete who competes with the maturity and poise of someone well beyond her years. And here at Run Republic, we’re certain you’ll be hearing her name a lot more before the year is out.