John Treacy achieves sporting immortality in his first marathon

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John Treacy crosses the line to win silver at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, Irish Times sports journalists have looked back at the Irish Olympic stories you didn’t know. This podcast series brings you a selection of those pieces, as read by their authors.

In episode five, Ian O’Riordan tells the story of a remarkable year in the life of John Treacy, where he went from almost quitting to winning an Olympic medal in his first marathon. A snap decision to move to the USA, a doctor with good instincts and a large slice of luck all contribute to the Waterford runner’s stunning performance in the 1984 Los Angeles marathon.

Listen to Episode 5 here or on your podcast app. You can read all the stories in the series here.