Cian McPhillips has been awarded the male Connacht athletics athlete of the year for 2021.
The 19-year-old Longford man made his senior international debut in March 2021 making the European Indoor 800m semi-final.
The previous month McPhillips broke the Irish junior indoor record posting 1:46.13 at the Athletics Ireland elite micro indoor meet in Dublin.
McPhillips finished second to Mark English who broke the Irish record in 1:46.10. McPhillips time was inside the old senior record.
On July 17, McPhillips won gold in the 1500 metres at the European Under-20 championships in Tallinn, Estonia.
Carrick-on-Shannon legend Ger O’Donnell also made the shortlist for the award and was joined by Chris O’Donnell of North Sligo and Cillian Greene of Galway city harriers.
There were also nominations for Roscommon Harriers pair Hugh McArdle for road runner of the year and John Fitzmaurice in the master’s athlete of the year.
*Longford are part of the Connacht region in athletics, the only sport where Longford compete outside Leinster.
