Kate Veale is the February winner of the Waterford Sports Awards, in association with WLR and the Granville Hotel.
Kate won a seventh successive 3000m walk title at the National Senior Indoor Championships in Abbotstown, coming home in a personal best time of 12 minutes 27.82 seconds in doing so.
The West Waterford Athletics Club star’s time was the third-fastest in the world in 2024. She has climbed the roll of honour to become one of the most successful Irish athletes of all time, winning 17 national titles and seven national indoor titles.
Kate also has the distinction of being a former World Youth champion and is prepared to make 2024 one of the best years of her career to date.
Speaking on accepting the award, Kate said: “I was actually very surprised when I got the call to say I had won! It’s a great honour.”
Kate Veale is the February winner of the Waterford Sports Awards in association with WLR FM and the Granville Hotel and she is pictured with her mother Bríd Veale and daughter Fíanna Veale. Photo: Noel Browne
“When you’re putting in all the work and training, you’re not thinking of awards but it’s just so nice to get the recognition. I’m hopeful that it will have the knock on effect on the wider athletics scene and I’m really delighted and grateful to have gotten the award.”
“I’ve had a really good start to the year and I’m trying to build on it and get momentum and now I’m trying to focus on the 20km which is my ambition to hopefully get to the Olympics this summer - it’s been my dream since I was young and I’ve always been so close but yet so far. I’ve learnt a lot, been consistent and it would be amazing to get there.”
Each month, an outstanding sports star will be crowned the winner of the monthly WLR Granville Waterford Sports Awards.
The 12 monthly recipients will then gather for a black-tie Gala Banquet at the Granville Hotel in January 2025, where the first WLR Granville Waterford Sports Star of the Year will be revealed.
For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.
