McGlynn hoping to build on hugely successful 2019

LAST year proved hugely successful for Strabane’s Trevor McGlynn.

The Omagh Harrier won a host of titles, set several National and Provincial records, coached several team-mates to gold medal and PB successes and he concluded 2019 by being named the joint Athletics NI Community Coach of the Year alongside Springwell RC’s Alistair Bratten.

McGlynn’s year started as it was to go on when, in January, at the All-Ireland Indoor Combined Events Championships he won gold in the men’s over-40 category of the pentathlon, setting a new Irish record in the 60 metres hurdles in the process. He also won three of the four remaining events – the long jump, high jump and shot put – in the competition before finishing second in the 1000 metres.

That proved a warm-up for what was to come as he set a new Irish triple jump record at the Scottish Indoor Championships where he also won the high jump and was second in the hurdles.

He followed that up with silver medals in both the high jump and 60m hurdles at the National Indoor Championships, despite suffering a hamstring injury.

After recovering from that strain, the Strabane man set a new All-Ireland Masters Throws Pentathlon record, won 4x400m gold at the Donegal Senior Championships alongside Mark McBrearty, Brendan Boggs and Colly Harkin before earning silver in the triple jump and bronze in the long jump and shot put.

His success continued with an All-Ireland Masters Pentathlon title, during which he set a new record of 2,947 points.

He also won the 110m hurdles and the high jump before claiming six NI Masters Championship titles – 110m hurdles, 400m, hammer, high jump, triple jump and discus – and a bronze in the shot putt. Trevor also broke the Irish and Northern Irish records at the NI Decathlon Championships.

“I’m delighted with that! I was super happy!,” beamed the Omagh-based barber, who hadn’t anticipated such a successful 12 months.

“I wanted to get through the season and I had two big aims; the Irish record in the 60 hurdles and win the All-Ireland Indoor hurdles as well.

“I got the record, but I got injured a couple of races after that and I won the All-Ireland outdoor 110m hurdles and got the Irish record in the Pentathlon. I had a great year, I was happy.

“The highlight of the year was probably the Northern Ireland 110m hurdles because it was just a great day. The season was over, I had done what I wanted to do and it was more or less a bonus. I won six gold medals that weekend and ran my quickest time of the year into a headwind as well.”

Having surpassed his expectations for 2019, McGlynn has set his sights on yet more targets for the year ahead, including winning a medal at world level. And if his early season form is anything to go by, don’t bet against him achieving his aims.

“Last year was all about getting fit to train, but this winter I’m able to train properly and I started my season two weeks ago [December 28], a couple of days after Christmas and I ran a PB [9.32 seconds] in the 60m hurdles,” he said.

“It was only 0.1 off the new Irish M40 record and that was in my first race after a heavy Christmas, so I’m hoping to get the record back at the Irish Indoor Pentathlon Championships, fingers crossed.

“Hopefully I’ll surpass last year’s achievements this year. I’m looking to qualify for the World Indoor Ultra Heptathlon Championships in France, which is 14 events.

“I’m current European champion for the Double Decathlon, which is 20 events obviously, and I was sixth in the last World Championships. But I’m fitter, faster, stronger and I’m hoping to get a medal at this year’s World Championships.”