Athletics champion ready for next step

For a man who only began athletics competitively in his early 20s, Declan Owens had made quite the name for himself.

The 31-year-old has enjoyed a successful career as a sprinter, earning medals at county and provincial level including Connacht silver medals in the 100m and 400m, bronze in the 200 metres, and Munster medals in the 60m and 200m indoors.

In 2021, he broke new ground as part of the Mayo AC 4x400m relay team that won the All-Ireland in Santry. This year, he was part of the mixed relay team that won a bronze medal at the All-Ireland indoor championships in Abbottstown.

“The All-Ireland senior medal is so, so hard to win. We put a team together and we went up there and did so well,” Declan told the Western People. “The club is going from strength to strength with relays now. The club is regularly medalling at the Masters All-Irelands and we've had the two now Senior wins.

“It's great to win the medals because again they're hard won. You’ve Galway clubs, Sligo clubs, Leitrim clubs and Roscommon clubs. They're up against you in Connacht and it’s becoming a more competitive and stronger championship every year. There’s more and more people out of Connacht winning All-Ireland medals so it can only be a good thing for the province.” 

He was the lead-off runner [the starter] of the relays in both, being the only person who starts the race from starting blocks, which he feels plays to his biggest strengths as a sprinter.

“I really like starting the relay. I love using the blocks, it’s probably one of the strongest parts of my race. I love taking on that responsibility but at the same time, you do feel the pressure.

“When you're up at the indoor All-Irelands in Abbottstown or the outdoor All-Irelands in Santry, the pressure of, you know, if you were to false start, it's game over straight away. But I enjoy it and it's a nice challenge.” 

Born in Castlebar, he has lived in Claremorris since he was five years old and after much of youth playing for Hollymount-Carramore GAA Club, encouragement from family and teammates saw him make the jump to athletics.

“I gave it a go, and I didn’t know where it was going to go at the start. It was maybe a fitness thing more so than a competition thing [at first]. I got started and then around the same time, I got started in college up in Galway where I was coached by Brendan Glynn and then I had a strength and conditioning coach, Chris Cafferkey. Those two men then showed to me what was involved in competing on competition day at county, provincial and national level.” 

It was not smooth sailing by any means. At his first Munster Indoor Championships in 2017, he finished last and Owens wondered was he out of his depth. But steady progress followed, and he would later earn bronze medals in 60m that same event in 2020.

“I had so much work to do regarding my sprint mechanics and running form and all that. I put my head down and I put the training in. It's a demanding schedule, it's six days a week training, but I enjoyed it. The great thing with the sport was that you could see the individual improvements year on year,” said Owens.

“I look back on the last few years definitely with pride because I never thought I'd ever win one All-Ireland medal. To win the second All Ireland medal there last January definitely was a dream come true.” 

For a sport that has given him so much, he is now giving back. During his two-year Masters placement for teaching, he did coaching with Sacred Heart School with Westport in year one and helped the first year girls team to an All-Ireland Cross Country title.

The following year he was managing the Ballinrobe Community School track and field and cross-country teams and they had medallists at Connacht and All-Ireland level. 

He has also done sprint coaching work with the Killala GAA men’s football team and Kilmovee Shamrocks ladies football team, as well as one-on-one personalised coaching, and he has found it a fulfilling experience.

“One of the first things I'd be looking at [for footballers] is how their arms are moving because that'll dictate how their legs are moving. Is their head position correct? You're looking at literally every point from head to toe of how each player is moving on the field and just making them small changes that will not only make them quicker but also help prevent injury as well.

“I feel that the teams I worked with really enjoyed it. It was something completely different for them. It's coming a bit more into the GAA now, which can only be a good thing. The game is definitely getting quicker.

Owens added: “I've really enjoyed all that and I've learned an awful lot about the sport when it comes to looking at from the coaching perspective and bringing what I've learned from a coaching perspective then into my own individual preparation.” 

He has since completed his master’s and is currently a teacher in St Oliver's Special School in Tuam. He is helping prepare students for the Special Olympics in athletics and teaching children with special needs is something that is close to his heart.

“I have a passion for teaching children with additional needs and also coaching kids with additional needs when it comes to athletics. It’s amazing just to see the small improvements day to day. I was working as an SNA a few years ago in St Michael's, Special School in Castlerea. That's the first time where I got to coach students with additional needs when it comes to athletics. I also coached them in table tennis as well. Just seeing the little improvements day to day, it was amazing and even just to see the kids delighted with their own personal achievements. It's something I've very much enjoyed.” 

He has four years left as a senior athlete before he becomes eligible for Masters (over-35s), and he has targets set for the now and when he becomes a Masters athlete.

“My goal will be to win one to two, maybe more, All-Ireland Senior medals when it comes to the relays.

“When I turn 35 and go into the Masters grade, it will be to get into the top three in 100 metres in the country and also into the 200 metres as well and then represent Ireland in the 100 and the 200 metres.

“The long-term plan in four years’ time, to be competing at European and world level in 100 and the 200 metres.”