• Fastest Irish woman ever over 800 metres.
• 3rd fastest Irish woman ever over 1500 metres indoors.
• Fastest Irish junior woman ever over 3000 metres indoors.

Hello!

Athletics is a very individual, and sometimes a lonely sport, so having supporters all over the world interested in being a part of Team Rosie and sharing my Olympic journey with me is greatly appreciated. The Olympic Games is something I have fantasised about being a part of since I was five years old. It all starts with a dream, and for the lucky few, dreams become reality.

My story so far!

I’m a Dublin girl, who has lived in Newbridge, Kildare and am now based in Cheltenham, England. I run for Newbridge Athletic Club in Ireland and Gloucester Athletic Club in the UK. I am the current Irish National 800 metre Record Holder with my time of 2:00.58 which broke Sonia O’Sullivan’s 19 year old previous best.

I have represented Ireland at every major Indoor and Outdoor Championship at both Junior and Senior level, except the Olympic Games. I hope to gain that accolade this August at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. As well as becoming an Olympian, another of my aims is to become the first Irish woman to break the magical two minute barrier in the 800 metres, which would be a defining moment for Irish sport.

2013 was a breakthrough year for me but you never know what is around the corner, and 2014 and 2015 turned out to be injury and ill health plagued years for me. However, I am now in the wonderful position of being fully healthy and the fittest I have ever been in my life, a great way to start an Olympic year.

The pinnacle of an athlete’s career is the Olympic Games, and I am now looking forward to the Games in Rio which will hopefully be my first Olympics. I have put in over six months of hard strength and endurance work to give me the best possible chance of running the 800m qualifying time of 2:01.50 once the outdoor season begins.

This February I ran lifetime best times for the 1500 metres (4:11.07) and 3000 metres (9:12.42) and qualified for the 1500 metres in the World Indoor Championships. All of which are stepping stones to getting on that plane to Rio!

How you can help!

I am very excited about my journey ahead but I need your support! This year, I knew I wanted to go away on a few altitude training camps, something which really benefits my performance, but was unsure if I would be able to afford this benefit.

During the winter I was able to work doing supply teaching so I could fund an altitude trip to South Africa in January. It was a tricky balancing act between working to acquire the money needed to fund my trip and making sure that my athletic endeavors did not suffer. But that trip paid off as I qualified for my third World Indoor Athletics Championships in March.

Funding myself is an additional pressure that I would love to be relieved of in Olympic year, as it is an added strain trying to juggle work with my training and recovery.

I have some more high altitude training camps in the pipeline between now and the Olympic Games as I believe they will assist me in having a very successful summer on the track, and prepare me to run the race of my life when I step into the Olympic Stadium in Rio.

As I plan to be abroad training and racing for the majority of 2016 leading into the Olympics, I unfortunately will be unable to work to fund myself hence why I have turned to sports crowdfunding. My best time for the 800m is 2:00.58 so once everything goes right, I know is it physically possible me to obtain the qualifying time of 2:01.50 once my outdoor season begins.

I am so thankful for any support you can give, and believe me when I say no amount is too small. I am really excited to share my journey, experiences and hopefully successes with you! Your kindness and support will hopefully help me become an Olympian and turn my dreams into a reality.

Your sponsorship, no matter how big or small will help fund my Olympic Games preparations so again, I am so grateful for your help and thank you for being a part of Team Rosie.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at roseannegalligan@yahoo.ie if you feel that you can support me further in any way.

Much love, Rose-Anne xx

My main championships this year:

• World Indoor Athletics Championships, Portland, Oregon, USA. (17-20 March)
• European Outdoor Championships, Amsterdam (6-10 July)
• 2016 Rio Olympic Games (5-21 August)