Longford Junior Sportsperson of Year Robin Óg Murphy has World U20 Championships firmly in her sights

Junior Sportsperson of the Year and racewalker Robin Óg Murphy is striving to secure the qualifying standards for the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships. 

Robin Óg was the recipient of the Junior Sportsperson of Year award at the recent Longford Leader Sports Awards 2025, in association with Longford Sports Partnership, in the Longford Arms Hotel. 

Also read: Inspiring the next Shane Lowry or Leona Maguire: Longford golf club volunteer Rheda Quinn honoured

2025 has been another year of outstanding performances for promising Racewalker, Robin Óg Murphy as she won multiple gold medals representing her club, school and county, both in Ireland and internationally.

Seventeen year old Leaving Cert student Robin Óg is a proud member of Longford Athletics Club and the Rob Heffernan Racewalking Academy. 

She won gold and achieved her personal best in the 5000m walk at a Gold Level World Athletics Racewalking Tour in Warsaw, demonstrating her immense potential. 

She even managed to catch the eye of Polish four time Olympic medalist and former world record holder Robert Korzeniowski who was thrilled to be photographed with her!

PICTURES | Longford sporting excellence celebrated at stylish gala awards ceremony

Robin Óg’s year began with a notable victory in the Under-20 3000m at January’s English Indoor Championships in Sheffield setting a new lifetime best of 14:38. 

She backed it up with winning a gold medal at the Irish juvenile indoors in March and followed that with outdoor gold in July to complete a double in the Under-18 age category. 

A further title was added when claiming victory in the Irish Junior 3000m race walk on the track.

Robin Óg completed a two-in-a-row of All-Ireland School’s successes, while representing Mercy Secondary School Ballymahon, with a dominant display and a 30-seconds winning margin in Tullamore at the end of May.

Robin Óg placed an impressive sixth at the National Senior 5000m walk in August to round off a busy summer of competition and as she strives to secure the qualifying standards for major championships she has the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships firmly in her sights. 

Also read: Top Irish athlete Cian McPhillips crowned 2025 Longford Sports Star of the Year

CAPTION: Longford County Council Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Niall Gannon, Longford Leader Managing Editor Alan Walsh, Longford Leader Advertising Executive Audrey Moorhead (on behalf of sponsor Pat the Baker), Junior Sportsperson of the Year Robin Óg Murphy (Athletics), Longford Sports Partnership Chairperson Tony Headon and Longford County Council Community Development Senior Executive Officer Ciaran Murphy Picture: Shelley Corcoran

PICTURES | Longford celebrity connections established with 'Teenage Wasteland'