Tokyo 2020: Team Ireland profiles - Aoife Cooke (Athletics)

Age: 34

Event: Marathon

Club: Eagle AC

Enjoying a second coming after a promising junior career, Cooke timed her run to Tokyo to perfection. Despite all the restrictions around Covid-19, Cooke won the Cheshire Elite Marathon in April, just under a minute inside the necessary standard of 2:29:30, improving her personal best by almost four minutes to 2:28:36 and also moving her to number four on the all-time Irish list, only the fifth Irish woman to break 2:30. Cooke also works as a fitness instructor and is outspoken on the campaign for gay and lesbian inclusiveness in sport.