Big Donegal connection to Australian marathon competitor at IAAF World Championships

It has been confirmed  that Mrs. Sinéad Diver, Belmullet, Co. Mayo is one of marathon runners  selected to represent  Australia in this year’s International Association of Athletics Federation [IAAF] world championship taking place  in London in August.

The mother of two has strong ties with Gaoth Dobhair. Her father, Eddie Diver is originally from Coshclady, Bunbeg. He is a retired civil servant and he represented Erris Inshore Fishermen’s Association in the tough negotiations with Shell over the laying of the Corrib gas offshore pipeline several years ago. Her mother, Bridie is a native of Belmullet.  Her parents are over the moon with her success to date.

Sinéad  played basketball, and studied physical education in the University of Limerick, but opted for information technology as a career. She emigrated to Australia fifteen years ago, and she and her husband Colin, from Limerick, have two young sons, Eddie  and Dara.

She was ranked third fastest female marathon runner in Australia four years ago and  she won the national half marathon championships in 2012 and came second in the 2012 and 2014 national cross country races.  She recorded a time of 2 hours 34 minutes and 15 seconds in her first 26-miler, the Melbourne Marathon, three years  ago.