Sixty seconds with CIARA PEELO

Schools:Malahide Community School

Sport:Sailing.

Other school sports:A bit of everything – I was always the one roped in if a team was a player short! I played basketball and hockey and took up sailing and gymnastics outside, but early on my main sport would have been athletics.

Who got you started in sailing?My two older brothers, Niall and Darrag. Initially I didn't take to it – mainly because I hated water. It was even difficult to get me in to the pool for my swimming lessons. But they encouraged me and built up my confidence and, having started when I was 10, I gradually grew to love it.

The best/worst of days:Probably came on the same day! I reached the finals of the 100 and 800 metres at the Leinster schools, but because they were only five minutes part and because Emily Maher and Ciara Sheehy, two of the top sprinters in the country, were in the 100m final I decided to just run in the 800. But I only came fifth, which was annoying, so I walked up the track for the start of the 100m – and I came third, behind Emily and Ciara. I was delighted, although only the top two went through to the All-Irelands, so it was a huge disappointment to miss out on them. A very mixed day!

Most inspiring sporting memory:I was in awe of Aisling Bowman because I had watched her do really well for Ireland in sailing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. I was in a competition later that year at home and she came up to congratulate me on winning bronze with Laura Dillon at the World Youth Championships earlier in the year. She sought ME out! It meant so much. But that's how she always was with me, giving me nothing but encouragement.

I wished I was:It probably changed every week, but, especially for a girl, Sonia O'Sullivan was inspirational, her success phenomenal. She was probably the first Irish sportswoman who really got recognised, so that in itself was a huge thing. Catherina McKiernan was another who I really respected, she was so gutsy and showed so much determination.

If I could turn back time:I wish I'd put more in to my running. I never trained really, I didn't know any better, but I had talent and sometimes I wonder about how far I could have taken it.

The value of school sport to you:I remember we'd talk about what we did at weekends and so many were just hanging around street corners, drinking. That just wasn't an option for me because I was always busy with sport, mainly sailing later on, away seeing new places, meeting new people. I know you can learn the important lessons in any walk of life, but if you grow up involved in sport you learn them in a controlled environment, with a support structure to help you out. For me, sport was invaluable when I was growing up.

Most admired:There are a few, but I tend to go for people close to home because they've come through a similar environment to me – and Pádraig Harrington is hard to top. It's just amazing what he's done, he's had all the ups and downs but how he's dealt with them, and come through them, is an inspiration to anyone.

Not too keen:Television pundits! They are so negative and so critical of people who are trying their best, I just turn off my TV, I can't be listening to them. No one, in any sport, goes out to perform badly, I wish the pundits would remember that.

One sporting wish:To medal at the Olympics – I'm not giving up on that dream quite yet!

Ciara Peelo (29), from Malahide, Co Dublin, represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in Beijing last summer, where she also carried the Irish flag at the opening ceremony.