IT’S been a brilliant 12 months for Lauren Callaghan and she’s excited to see what else is in store in 2026.
Last year, the Killygordon woman won by the National Indoor and Track & Field long jump titles.
That was a sign of real progress and she continues to strive for improvement.
Just last week Callaghan set a new PB in France and she can’t wait to compete again.
Her confidence has risen significantly and this week she collected the Donegal News Sports Personality of the Month award for August in conjunction with Brian McCormick Sports & Leisure.
“August was really a promising month.
“I got my first senior outdoor title which was a target for me.
“I had got my first indoor title back in February and I really wanted to back that up.
“It was quite special to do them both in the one year.
“I was second in the outdoors last year by just one centimetre so it was something I felt I just had to do, and I was delighted to do it.”
Callaghan holds herself to a high standard and winning alone doesn’t always bring satisfaction.
“I won the indoors but I wasn’t really happy with the distance.
“I don’t want to say it was bittersweet because it was good to win but I think I always go for distance first and try and get the medal based on that.
“When I won my first indoor there was a bit of a black cloud over it because I didn’t jump six metres and I aimed to.
“But then in August I jumped 6.24 which was one centimetre off my PB at that time which I was happy with.
“All my jumps were over six metres which was good and consistent.
“It was a really good competition.
“I had a wee niggle about a month prior with a bit of nerve pain so it was nice to put that behind me and get the title after that.”
The 23-year-old got started in athletics before most and it was a task to keep her away from the Finn Valley Centre.
“It’s a bit of a weird story.
“My brother (Odhran) had just become of age to start athletics and my mum (Sandra) took him up one Tuesday night and we laugh about it still because I started crying as I wanted to stay.
“I remember Patsy McGonagle saying to mum to ‘let her jump in with one of the groups’ and I haven’t stopped since.
“I sprinted and I did a bit of cross country which I’d say a lot of people wouldn’t believe now.
“But the long jump was always my favourite. I triple-jumped high-jumped for a little bit but I have had trouble with my back and the long-jump kept it at bay the best.
“Finn Valley have been fantastic and I went to DCU for four years but now I’m back full-time at Finn Valley.
“Paul Wilkinson has been my coach since the start and he’s a massive help. We train six times a week so it’s a big commitment.
“Tuesday morning is a running session with sprints and then the gym in the evening.
“Thursday morning is on the hill with more sprints and then gym in the evening.
“Sunday morning is my main jumps session and then back in the gym in the evening. I love it.
Callaghan is now in year two of a PhD at ATU Galway in Sensory Technology, looking at physical literacy in children.
She enjoys that work and can balance it will with her athletics career which continues to thrive.
She will look to develop further this year and the signs are good as at a Meeting in de Nantes Metropole in France last week, Callaghan won with a 6.34m jump on her third visit to the board which is a PB.
At Stadium Pierre-Quinon, she actually beat the previous best twice having opened up with a 6.27m leap. Lauren also had a 6.20m jump.
It’s a serious improvement, a jump that is the best so far this year by an Irish athlete – and its fourth on the all-time list, going above Kate O’Connor’s 6.32m.
A strong start to the year was part of the plan but not necessarily in France.
“I attempted to compete in Loughborough two weeks ago but a bug made me withdraw.
“I then went to one of the bronze meets in France last week and I won with a PB which is a good start to the year.
“It actually just came up the week prior and then when I missed out with sickness, it went into the calendar at the last minute.
“I’m in Glasgow this weekend so I will hopefully back up what I jumped last week.”
Callaghan will look to make more strides forward this year which should be possible if she remains healthy and fit.
“My main focus all the time is just to stay injury-free.
“I had a couple of years that were very bad with injury and thank God the last few have been good.
“As long as I stay injury-free and keep my training consistent we will see what comes from that.
“I have the seniors now on the first of March so we will see how that goes.”
