A golden moment: Ciara Kearns on leaping to European gold

Ciara Kearns took an intake of breath before looking at a screen in Braga's Altice Forum.

She waited and wondered all at once. Nerves of a different kind now.

Aurica Zucht from Germany had her final jump at the European Masters Championships.

Zucht's effort was the last jump in the competition. Kearns led the way with a 5.39m leap.

The board flashed: 5.17m for Zucht. Confirmation of gold for Kearns.

“It was just magic,” the Carrick woman says.

“I watched the German and her score came up it just dawned on me.

“Winning gold was the aim. I had a look at the rankings before going and I knew I was right up there. I went over confident.

“When I nailed the first jump, I relaxed a good bit. I enjoyed every minute after the first jump. The nerves disappated.”

Ciara Kearns wins European Masters gold, bronze for Sinead McConnell

Golden girl Kearns takes long jump gold and McConnell earns a gutsy 3k race walk bronze

Few can match the enthusiasm Kearns brings to her sport.

A coach at Finn Valley AC, with whom she competes, Kearns trains alongside her young group.

“The group I have are my coaches,” she says.

“They coach me. They encourage me. I love it.”

The likes of Oisin Thompson, Kathy Bannigan, Daniel McHugh and Niamh Browne are all benefiting from her long jump coaching while she is heavily invested in a group of hurdlers with whom she works closely in all weather.

The encouragement and support of her mother, Mary O'Callaghan, who also coaches at the club, and her son, Nathan (11) are key ingredients for Kearns.

A successful athletics career in her youth included representing Ireland at the 2001 World Youth Championships in Debrecen.

Ciara Kearns at a homecoming reception at Finn Valley AC. Photo: Dermot McGranaghan

Her return to the sport, after a long absence, has not been straightforward. Injury woes, including a broken leg, questioned her resolve.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought its own challenges. Kearns worked hard through lockdowns, training in the carpark in Carrick, flitting between some nearby beaches and, when permitted again, returning to the track at Finn Valley AC.

She says: “Covid knocked the life out of everyone. It was two years of uncertanity. Training was all over the place and it was difficult.

“I had to push through all of that. I've been preparing for two years. It was incredible to win after that.

“I just said right I'm going to get strong and get into the best shape possible. When I was a kid, I barely trained. I just worked off raw talent. I look back now and wonder what I could have done if I had tranied. Hindsight is wonderful!”

As an under-13, she won her first Irish titles, taking gold in long jump and 60m hurdles events.

Kearns was the U19 Irish heptathlon gold medalist and, at the same age group, won national golds in the 400m hurdles, high jump and long jump before winning the junior long jump gold.

There were long jump golds at under-15, under-16 and under-17 levels, combined events golds at under-14 and under-16, as well as hurdles titles at under-13, under-14 and under-15 ages – not to mention a national under-12 cross country title

Indoors, Kearns won an under-14 800m, an under-15 200m and took the under-17 combined events gold in 2000 and 2001.

Long jump golds at under-14, under-15, under-16 and under-19 levels followed indoors. She was the junior long jump gold medalist in 2001 and 2003, while 60m hurdles golds were won again at under-14, under-15 and under-16 grades.

Twenty-nine Irish titles in all. Add in another eight Irish schools titles and it's a haul that shows the calibre of athlete she is.

The 5.76m she jumped in 2000 to win the under-16 long jump remains a Championship best – and a mark young Finn Valley athlete Riona Doherty has in her sights.

“It's over 20 years old now,” she says. “I'd love Riona to break it. I love having the record, but it's time for it to go.”

The World Masters Championships are next on the agenda in June. In Tampere, Kearns hopes to attempt the 400m hurdles and the long jump.

“I haven't done the hurdles since I was five months pregnant with Nathan,” she says

I have to build up the fitness. I just need some experience.”

The nerves will whistle again – just how she likes it.

“I love nerves,” she says.

“It gets the adrenaline pumping and makes me be faster, stronger and jump better.”