‘I was burnt out all the time from stress. I kept running for myself, but I was not able to achieve anything during that time’
Jodie McCann competes in the women's 3,000m final during the Sydney Track Classic in March.
At some stage she had to find out, to see just where her talent could take her. For a long time, running had to take a backseat in Jodie McCann’s life, but 2024 was a year loaded with opportunities. She didn’t want to be left wondering.
Last July, the Dubliner finished 11th in the 5,000m at Irish nationals and soon after she lowered her 5,000m best to 16:18. Decent, but well below international class. Still, having just completed her first year of teaching, she knew she was only operating in second gear.
Last August, she was offered the chance to train with On Athletics Club Oceania, a group of professional athletes coached by former world 5,000m medallist Craig Mottram. McCann’s mother was born in Australia and had travelled the country in her early 20s. Jodie, too, had an Australian passport and long dreamed of doing similar. So just a week after the offer came in, she set off Down Under.
“Sometimes when you’re handed an opportunity, don’t hesitate, take it,” she says. “It obviously worked out.”
She was based in Melbourne from September to April, putting in steady, consistent training.
“Sometimes you see things on social media and think people must be doing extreme things to be at a certain level but it’s all about consistency. It was just being in a good environment and surrounded by people with the same mindset as you. I loved it. It was an amazing opportunity to be surrounded by professional athletes and learn from them.”
In February, the 24-year-old smashed her 1,500m and 5,000m bests, clocking 4:08.34 and 15:35.04. In April, she lowered her 5,000m PB to 15:30.20, ensuring her spot at the European Championships in Rome, where she will make her senior international debut in the 5,000m final tomorrow night.
The truth? This wasn’t in her plans when moving to Melbourne.
“I just wanted to run as fast as I could. I gave myself the year to see what I could achieve without college or work. I never really expected to do what I’ve done. It’s all been quite overwhelming.”
She’s currently 61st on the Road to Paris world rankings, with the top 42 making the Olympics when the qualification window closes in late June. Her older brother Luke (26) should qualify in the 1,500m after smashing his PB with 3:33.66 in Stockholm last weekend, becoming the fourth fastest Irishman ever.
“This year was my brother’s year to make the Olympics,” says Jodie. “If it happens [for me] that’s amazing but I always had LA [2028] in my head. I never even thought about Paris. I’m just going to enjoy it and keep racing.”
Luke was a late bloomer, and when he broke through at the age of 20 he was often referred to as ‘Jodie’s brother’. But as he made waves internationally, that changed.
“It switched to, ‘Oh, you’re Luke’s sister’. I’ve been dethroned,” laughs Jodie. “But it’s great we can both relate to each other. I had a few bad races lately and he can message me like, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve been there’. He knows how I feel in those moments.”
There was no running background in the family, their father was a swimmer who came close to Olympic qualification, their mother a fitness instructor.
Jodie took up athletics at the age of nine, but mostly did cross country until she was 17. After winning a slew of national titles, she had several US scholarship offers but with her heart set on primary teaching, she chose to stay home, studying at the DCU Institute of Education, formerly St Patrick’s College.
But with a commute of almost 90 minutes from the southside each day, and the college offering no leeway for her sporting obligations, her progress stalled.
“They didn’t want you having anything outside of teaching. I was burnt out all the time from stress. I kept running for myself, but I was not able to achieve anything during that time.”
She graduated in 2022 and did a year of substitute teaching before the move Down Under. Since returning home in April, she’s again been coached by her father Clark.
“A lot of people have been like, ‘Where has your success come from?’. But I’m not doing anything insane, it’s just consistency. I’ve upped my mileage and with no work, college or stress, my intensity has gone up as well.”
She recently followed her brother’s lead and signed with Doyle Management, a US agency that represents dozens of world-class athletes. It’s run by Paul Doyle, who’s married to Irish Olympian Karen Shinkins.
Jodie is hopeful of signing a professional contract with a shoe brand in the months ahead.
“It’d be a dream job,” she says. “I see Luke doing it and I’d love to be in the same position.”
But for now, her focus lies solely on the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow night. Her first senior cap for her country. Likely the first of many.
“I just want to go out there and enjoy it because if I have my mindset on enjoying it, it’ll allow me to run my best,” she says. “I want to go out and do the Irish vest proud.”
