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”’Eileen O’Keeffe”’ (born 31 May 1981 in [[Kilkenny]]) is a former female [[hammer throw]]er from [[Ireland]]. Her personal best throw of 73.21 metres, achieved in July 2007 at the national championships in [[Dublin]], is the [[Irish records in athletics|Irish record]] for the event. Over her career, she represented Ireland at the [[2008 Beijing Olympics]], competed three times at the [[World Championships in Athletics]] (2005, 2007, 2009), and took part in the [[European Athletics Championships]] on two occasions. She won nine consecutive national hammer titles and also six titles in the [[discus throw]].<ref name=Retired>[http://www.european-athletics.org/general-news/irish-hammer-thrower-eileen-okeeffe-retires.html Irish hammer thrower Eileen O’Keeffe retires]. [[European Athletics]] (2011-05-26). Retrieved on 2011-05-29.</ref>
”’Eileen O’Keeffe”’ (born 31 May 1981 in [[Kilkenny]]) is former [[hammer throw]]er. Her personal best throw of 73.21 metres, achieved in July 2007 at the national championships in [[Dublin]], is the [[Irish records in athletics|Irish record]] for the event. Over her career, she represented Ireland at the [[2008 Beijing Olympics]], competed three times at the [[World Championships in Athletics]] (2005, 2007, 2009), and took part in the [[European Athletics Championships]] on two occasions. She won nine consecutive national hammer titles and also six titles in the [[discus throw]].<ref name=Retired>[http://www.european-athletics.org/general-news/irish-hammer-thrower-eileen-okeeffe-retires.html Irish hammer thrower Eileen O’Keeffe retires]. [[European Athletics]] (2011-05-26). Retrieved on 2011-05-29.</ref>
She finished fourth at the [[Athletics at the 2003 Summer Universiade|2003 Summer Universiade]], sixth at the [[Athletics at the 2005 Summer Universiade|2005 Summer Universiade]], won the silver medal at the [[Athletics at the 2007 Summer Universiade|2007 Summer Universiade]] and finished sixth at the [[2007 World Championships in Athletics|2007 World Championships]]. She also competed at the [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|2002 European Championships]], the [[2005 World Championships in Athletics|2005 World Championships]], the [[2006 European Championships in Athletics|2006 European Championships]] and the [[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women’s hammer throw|2008 Olympic Games]] without reaching the final.
She finished fourth at the [[Athletics at the 2003 Summer Universiade|2003 Summer Universiade]], sixth at the [[Athletics at the 2005 Summer Universiade|2005 Summer Universiade]], won the silver medal at the [[Athletics at the 2007 Summer Universiade|2007 Summer Universiade]] and finished sixth at the [[2007 World Championships in Athletics|2007 World Championships]]. She also competed at the [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|2002 European Championships]], the [[2005 World Championships in Athletics|2005 World Championships]], the [[2006 European Championships in Athletics|2006 European Championships]] and the [[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women’s hammer throw|2008 Olympic Games]] without reaching the final.
Irish hammer thrower
Eileen O’Keeffe (born 31 May 1981 in Kilkenny) is an Irish former hammer thrower. Her personal best throw of 73.21 metres, achieved in July 2007 at the national championships in Dublin, is the Irish record for the event. Over her career, she represented Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, competed three times at the World Championships in Athletics (2005, 2007, 2009), and took part in the European Athletics Championships on two occasions. She won nine consecutive national hammer titles and also six titles in the discus throw.[1]
She finished fourth at the 2003 Summer Universiade, sixth at the 2005 Summer Universiade, won the silver medal at the 2007 Summer Universiade and finished sixth at the 2007 World Championships. She also competed at the 2002 European Championships, the 2005 World Championships, the 2006 European Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games without reaching the final.
In a January 2008 interview on RTÉ‘s The Panel, O’Keeffe said that she learned the sport from a Hal Connolly DVD her brother bought from a pound shop.[2]
She retired from competition in 2011 at the age of 29, having failed to return to form following a serious knee injury.[1]
Competition record
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Â Ireland
|
||||
| 2000 | World Junior Championships | Santiago, Chile | 26th (q) | 50.13 m[3] |
| 2001 | European U23 Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 17th (q) | 57.08 m |
| 2002 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 30th (q) | 59.64 m |
| 2003 | European U23 Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 15th (q) | 59.64 m[4] |
| Universiade | Daegu, South Korea | 4th | 62.96 m | |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 24th (q) | 64.09 m |
| Universiade | Izmir, Turkey | 6th | 67.61 m | |
| 2006 | European Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 17th (q) | 65.07 m |
| 2007 | Universiade | Bangkok, Thailand | 2nd | 68.46 m |
| World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 6th | 70.93 m | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, PR China | 23rd (q) | 67.66 m |
| 2009 | Universiade | Belgrade, Serbia | 9th | 66.97 m |
| World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 35th (q) | 63.20 m | |
