Good luck to Harry at Villanova
Posted by Ciaran Tobin on 29 September 2015
Harry Purcell starts at Villanova
In mid August Harry Purcell commenced his athletic and academic career at one of the leading Track and Field colleges in the United States, Villanova University. He follows in the illustrious footsteps of Irish middle distance legends, Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O Sullivan. Included here is an excerpt from Harrys profile on the university website. It makes impressive reading and all his colleagues and the committee of Trim AC wish him the very best as he embarks on the next lap of his running career.
"Harry competes in the 400 meters and the 800 meters ... One of his coaches was Villanova track & field legend Eamonn Coghlan ... Named his school's Sports Person of the Year in 2014 ... Set the All-Ireland Schools record in the 800 meters with a time of 1:49.42 in 2014 ... Two-time All-Ireland Schools first team performer in the 400 meters (2013, 2014) and also earned the honor once in the 800 meters (2014) ... Holds the top times in the history of the Irish Schools Championships in both the 400 meters and the 800 meters ... Was part of a 4x400 meter relay team which finished sixth at the Senior European Indoor Championships in Prague, Czech Republic in 2015 ... Also came in 10th at the European Junior Championships in Sweden in 2015 ... Was the Irish Junior indoor 800 meters champion in 2014 and 2015, as well as the Irish Junior outdoor 800 meters champion in 2015 ... Outside of track & field, also played rugby, gaelic football, hurling, golf and tennis ... Winner of the Meath Young Sports Person of the Year Award in 2014 ... Member of the Meath Minor Gaelic Football Team in 2013 and the underage Meath Hurling and Gaelic Football teams from 2010-13 ... Captain for his Trim GAA club which won the u16 County Gaelic Football Championship in 2012 ... Won the Junior Captains prize at his local golf club in 2011."
Villanova Sports facts and facilities
24 varsity sports and more than 500 student-athletes
12,000-seat stadium; 6,500-seat multipurpose recreational facility and arena
19 NCAA team national championships and 89 conference championships
Villanova has produced nearly 60 Olympians, who have participated in every Summer Olympics since 1948
