Shanballymore and Mallow AC athlete Michael Kiely has added another remarkable chapter to an extraordinary masters athletics career after helping set a new M80 4x800m World Record at the Dublin Athletics Graded Meeting in Morton Stadium, subject to official ratification.
Kiely joined Tom Durcan of Bohermeen, Dick Mullins of St Abbans and John MacDermott of Sligo to clock an outstanding 13:48, eclipsing the previous world record of 14:01, which had stood since 2013.
The latest achievement comes just over a year after the Shanballymore native claimed the M80 800m title at the 2025 World Masters Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida. At those championships, Kiely produced a perfectly judged race to take gold in the four-lap event, continuing a career that has seen him become one of Ireland’s most successful masters athletes.
Although now synonymous with middle-distance racing, Kiely did not take up running until the age of 36. He initially competed in marathons before turning his attention to track racing, where he previously won world masters titles over both 800m and 1,500m. After stepping away from athletics for around 15 years to focus on his career, he returned to competition, concentrating on track and cross-country events following a hip replacement.
Training from his home in Shanballymore, Kiely has become renowned for his dedication. Lacking a nearby athletics track, he created his own 400-metre circuit in a field beside his home, maintaining it himself and continuing to train through all weather conditions. He also regularly trains with Mallow AC, where he has long encouraged fellow masters athletes to compete on the track.
His success has come through consistency rather than complicated training methods. Alongside track sessions and hill work, he follows a disciplined routine and continues to compete at the highest level of masters athletics well into his eighties.
Kiely has also been a long-time advocate for improved athletics facilities in North Cork, highlighting the need for a dedicated track to support athletes of all ages in the region.
The recent relay performance is another landmark achievement for both Kiely and Irish masters athletics. The quartet’s time of 13:48 lowered the long-standing German record by more than 13 seconds and stands as another testament to the enduring quality of Ireland’s veteran athletes.
Credit was also paid to the M60 relay squad of Michael Cornyn, Francis Fleming, Diarmuid Doyle and Michael Counsel, whose support helped make the record attempt possible.
