Olive Loughnane (born 14 January 1976) is an Irish retired racewalker. A four-times Olympian and was 2009 World champion in the 20 km walk.
Early life Loughane was born in 1976 in County Cork, the eldest of seven children. She moved to Carrabane, County Galway, with her family when she was a child. She is a graduate of University College Galway, having obtained a B.Comm. in 1996.
Sporting career Loughnane competed at four Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012) and six consecutive editions of the World Championships in Athletics. She won a gold medal at the 2009 World Championships after the disqualification of the original gold medallist for a drug offence. As of December 2016, Loughnane had not received the prize money.
Loughnane failed to finish the walk at the 2010 European Athletics Championships. She had a win on the 2011 World Race Walking circuit at the Dudinska Patdesiatka in March 2011.Juck, Alfons (2011-03-27). Toth sets 50km road world lead 3:39:46. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-28.
Loughnane announced her retirement in February 2013.The Score (2013-02-12). ‘One of Ireland’s best’: Olive Loughnane retires from athletics . The Score. Retrieved on 2013-02-12.
Achievements Representing 1999World Race Walking CupMézidon-Canon, France91st20 km1:48:042000Olympic GamesSydney, Australia 35th20 km1:38:232001European Race Walking CupDudince, Slovakia26th20 km1:36:50World ChampionshipsEdmonton, Canada 13th20 km1:35:242002European ChampionshipsMunich, Germany13th20 km1:33:08World Race Walking CupTurin, Italy —20 kmDNF2003World ChampionshipsParis, France12th20 km1:30:532004Olympic GamesAthens, Greece —20 kmDNF2005World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland —20 kmDQ2007World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan17th20 km1:36:002008Olympic GamesBeijing, China7th20 km1:27:45World Race Walking CupCheboksary, Russia6th20 km1:29:172009European Race Walking CupMetz, France4th20 km1:34:52World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany 1st 20 km1:28:582010European ChampionshipsBarcelona, Spain —20 kmDNF2011European Race Walking CupOlhão, Portugal —20 kmDQWorld ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea13th20 km1:34:022012World Race Walking CupSaransk, Russia5th20 km1:31:32Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom10th20 km1:29:39
Sports administration Loughnane became a member of the Sport Ireland High Performance Committee after retiring from competitive sport in 2013, and subsequently became of a member of the board of Sport Ireland.
Personal life Loughnane currently lives in Coachford, Cork with her husband, Martin Corkery, and their three children. She currently works as a Statistician in the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
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